When I Close My Eyes
by wajag
Summary: An accident in the mts land J back at the Centre
1. I Close My Eyes

Pretender

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.No profit intended, no harm intended.This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone.

This one is for you Laurie!Come on, Let's catch him if we can…=D

Chapter 1:I Close My Eyes

Road in the Rocky Mountains, outside Denver 

Jarod looked down at the open red notebook in his hands.The bold caption across the top of the article proclaimed "Eagle Rock Cave Declared Historic Site".Looking up from the notebook he could see the object of the article.A rock formation shaped loosely like the head of an eagle that marked the entrance to a very large, natural cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and hundreds of ancient native hieroglyphics.

A debate over the cave had been the reason he had this beautiful view of Colorado.Out of state developers wanted to build a large recreational lodge using the caves as their lobby attraction.Locals wanted the site protected for others to view and enjoy.Additionally, the cave had long been a ritual site for the Native Americans in the area.Using the state and local politics, he had gotten a resolution that benefited all parties.The lodge would be built close enough to use the rock as a scenic point and attraction.Having the cave proclaimed part of a national park kept it protected and allowed Native American ceremonies that would encourage more tourism.

A Park Ranger beginning his next tour bus lecture brought Jarod's attention back to the roadside parking lot where he stood.A camera flash brought his focus to the tourists behind him.Several middle-aged women giggled at his attention.The woman with the camera, the tallest woman among the four quickly flashed off several more pictures.Again the women giggled and whispered to each other behind cupped hands.

Still giggling, the women headed back to a Mini van.He heard their school girl-type conversation as they loaded into the van."Wasn't he handsome?He will look great in my scrapbook, I am going to name that page "Natural Wonders"!""No, how about young stag in the Rockies!" "No, how about handsome buck…" "Prince of the wilderness…" The slamming of the van door shut off the rest of their dialog.

The mini van pulled back onto the rural mountain highway with a honk and women waving at every window.Jarod lifted a hand in farewell, shrugged and headed for his rental jeep.Looking at his watch, Jarod decided he had enough time to grab some dinner in town before returning to his cabin for the DSA's and his gear.The cabin he had rented for the summer was isolated but close enough to the highway to allow him to hike into town if he wished.Shifting gears, Jarod headed towards town.

Just a few miles down the road from the scenic stop was another local landmark.This one was a large rocky area that hosted a different kind of attention from the locals.Millions of years of weather and heavy snow had left a hillside of rock along side the highway.The kids used this area to herald the schools, relationships and various other forms of expression commonly known as graffiti.

Today, a group of high school boys were trying to shift a rock closer to another so that they could make their sign bigger than the others.Levering the boulder, they heard it shift and then an echo of other rocks shifting.Nervous, they stepped away as the rock shifted.Rolling quickly downward, it collected others on the way to the highway below.

Seeing something out of the corner of his eyes, one of the boys noticed the open top jeep just heading into the turn where the rocks would pass.Shouting and pushing at the other boys, he headed down the trail towards the road.

Traveling faster than the sound of the avalanche, the rocks hit the side of the jeep and pounded it up and over the guardrail.The roll bars of the jeep couldn't protect Jarod from the trees and branches as it rolled along with the rocks down the embankment.Jarod was hurting all over from several hard hits and the wind was knocked out of him before the jeep came to a stop against a stand of old growth trees.

Dazed, Jarod could hear the snapping and hissing of the radiator.The air was fragrant with the smell of pine and sap.Slowly opening his eyes, or one of them at least, he began to assess his injuries.He knew he had cracked a couple of ribs because of the difficulty he was having breathing.Shifting his weight to try for a more comfortable position he discovered a severely wrenched knee.Lifting a hand to his head and face, he could feel the forehead and eye area swelling up.Feeling wetness, he drew back his hand to see blood, lots of it.Probably a head concussion he thought through the massive headache that was pushing itself to the forefront of his thoughts.

Since his left eye refused to open, Jarod felt around for the door handle.He tugged on the door only to realize that it was wedged shut.Since lifting himself out over the top was not his first choice, Jarod reached inside his coat pocket for his cell phone.Not finding it, he carefully looked around in the jeep for it.Not seeing it in the area he was restricted to, Jarod sighed in frustration.

As his vision began to tunnel, he said to himself, "I'll just rest a moment…"

By the time the boys reached the road, the rocks had already pushed the jeep off the highway.All they saw was the rocks and debris covering the road.

"You didn't see a car!This is just your chicken shit way of getting out of painting the sign.You didn't want to do it from the beginning!"

"No! I swear.I saw a jeep.It was bright red for god's sake!"

"Well I don't see anything, it must have passed before the rocks came down."

"Well, we can't just leave the road like this."

"I don't see a bulldozer in your back pocket!I'm not going to give up my weekend cleaning up this crap!"

"Me either.I'm outta here before someone comes along."

"But what if a car comes and doesn't see it, what if someone gets hurt?"

"All the more reason to get the hell out of here!"

When the first boy headed over the rocks to leave the slide, the others quickly followed.The reality of getting in trouble for causing the slide quickly overcame any responsibility for any accidents it could cause.In no time, they had disappeared from the scene.

Not long after, the quiet of the mountain was disturbed again, this time by the hum of a Chevy camper rig coming down the highway.Out of state license tabs partially explained the leisurely pace of the camper.

"I love this song!" Laurie said as she turned up the radio.

"John Denver?"

"Yeah, how can you come to Colorado and not hear John Denver.It's like not hearing Elvis songs in Las Vegas or Memphis."

"But Rocky Mountain High is so hokey."

"So why do you know all of the words to it?"

"Everybody knows all the words to it.It's like, Ring Around the Rosie…SHIT!"

Slamming the breaks to his camper rig, Harry brought it to a crooked stop too close to the rocks that blocked the road.Harry put his hand to his chest and looked over at Laurie.She was still wide-eyed with her hands braced against the dashboard.

"Shit that was close!"Turning on his emergency flashers, Harry opened the door and went to check out the slide.Laurie took a deep breath and followed.

"It completely covers the road, we're going to have to go back the way we came."

"Do we have enough room to turn around?"

"It won't be easy but I don't see any other choice." 

"Hey!Look at that guardrail it's bent over.Is that red paint on it?"

They trotted over to the edge of the highway.It was clear that something had gone over but there was no way of telling if it was more than rocks and debris.

"Call 911, then we can go and check it out.I have a bad feeling about this."

Calling 911 and giving the details and expressing their suspicions only took a minute.Harry looked down the road to see if there was anything coming that they needed to worry about.Then he scrambled over the slide to check the other side.Laurie climbed into the camper and got the first aid kit.Meeting back at the rockslide, they found a safe way and started down.

Carefully working their way down, they soon saw evidence that a something had gone over the side.First they found a Coleman cooler.Then it was a thermos, a shattered cell phone, a wallet, paper, then a red notebook cover, bits and pieces of vehicle debris and finally a red jeep in some trees.

"Hey! Is anyone in there?" Laurie shouted as they both climbed down faster.

They each went to opposites sides of the jeep.They saw a man in the drivers seat.He was bloody but he opened one eye when he heard Laurie pulling at the passenger side door.

"Are you okay?What hurts?"

Jarod gave them first aid instructions but his knee hurt too much to move him from the Jeep.His foot was wedged under the dashboard.He had not noticed that before because of the wrenched knee.

Harry tried to use the cell phone but the trees were blocking its reception.

"I'll go back up to the road and call this in.You wait here until the ambulance arrives.Be careful."Giving Laurie a kiss and holding her face for a second longer, Harry headed back up the embankment.

Laurie climbed into the passenger seat of the jeep and put a compress against Jarod's head. 

"My name is Laurie, what's yours?"

"Jarod."

"Hello Jarod.Do you live around here?"

"No, just here for the summer.I was headed for dinner, then to Florida."

"My husband, Harry and I are on our vacation.We're from Washington, the State.Actually from Woodinville, that is about 20 minutes north of Seattle."

"I was a news cameraman in Seattle."He shifted his position to help breathe easier and it sent shooting pains through his leg.A moan escaped him.

"Don't move.I hurt my knee skiing and I know that's no fun.It hurts like hell as a matter of fact.You're pretty swollen."She could see that it was swollen so much that the knee was stretching the jeans he was wearing.Before she had finished deciding if it would be better to cut the jeans to relieve the pressure or keep it immobilized he spoke.

"I think I hear sirens."

Laurie looked up towards the highway.She listened and could just make out the sound of sirens.It seemed to take forever for the sounds to get closer and then for people coming down the hill.

Soon there were several medics at the jeep.Laurie climbed out so that one of them could get closer to Jarod.Jarod passed out again as they started to release him from the jeep.

Soon they had his leg cut out of the dash and had him in a sling to carry back up the hill.

When they got up the hill, Laurie saw crews working on the road.Laurie walked with the sling over to the ambulance.When the medics asked if they knew who the patient was, Laurie remembered the wallet.She pulled it from her coat pocket and handed it to them.

The Centre, Blue Cove 

Broots hustled through the halls of the Centre.He had been writing a program when his watchdog program gave him an alert.Since Jarod always used his own name in his pretends, Broots had written a program that scanned all media for the name "Jarod".A Jarod Roosevelt had been checked into a Denver hospital.Further checking revealed that this Jarod was injured in an auto accident.Descriptions of the patient matched their Pretender.He had looked for Miss Parker in her office but she wasn't there.Gibson, her assistant said that she was with Sydney in his office.Miss Parker was very clear in his instructions not to use the phone for Jarod's whereabouts.

He finally reached Sydney's office and barged in without knocking.Miss Parker and Sydney looked up from the monitor.

"I've found Jarod! That is, I think I've found Jarod!"

"Where is he?"

"I created this search program that hunts for the name Jarod, he always uses his own name you know, his first name that is…his last name is usually symbolic to the type of disguise he is using…."

"Broots!"

"Oh yeah.Well anyway, my program came up with a 911 call in Denver Colorado.Search and Rescue pulled a guy out of a rockslide and took him to a Denver hospital.His name is Jarod Roosevelt and his description matches our Jarod."

"Get me more details Broots, Now!"Miss Parker growled as she picked up the phone and called for the Centre jet.

Within an hour they were headed for the Centre's jet and Denver.

The Centre Jet, headed to Denver Colorado 

After the jet took off, Broots got back onto his laptop.Sydney looked over his shoulder as the hospital files came up.

"Well, what's up with the Lab Rat.Is it Jarod?" Miss Parker asked in her normal sarcastic tone.

"It's would appear to be him but he is badly injured.Broken ribs, knee, head concussion."

"I'll take him any way I can get him.This is the closest we have been in nearly a year and the Centre is tired of hearing that he has gotten away again."

After the Centre jet landed, they had a Centre helicopter fly them the hospital.They quickly located the room and barged in.In an instant they knew it was the Pretender despite the black eyes and head bandages.Sydney picked up the medical chart that hung on the bed.Miss Parker stopped by the head of the bed and struck an aggressive posture with arms crossed.

"Well look what we have here.A trapped Lab Rat."

"Miss Parker, he can't hear you."

Miss Parker looked up but before she could snap at Sydney he said, "He is in a coma.The head injury is more severe than we believed."

In a couple of steps she was at Sydney's side."What do you mean?"

"His brain stem is swelling.This is pretty serious, he may die."

"I don't believe it.Go make arrangements to have him moved back to the Centre.GO!"

It took longer than Miss Parker wanted.The attending doctors all insisted that Jarod was too unstable to move.Miss Parker insisted and with the Centre's influence, Jarod was Medi-vac lifted to the jet and soon they were headed back to Blue Cove.


	2. Only For a Moment and the Moment

CloseMyEyes2

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.No profit intended, no harm intended.This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone.

Chapter 2: Only for a Moment and the Moment's Gone

Centre Roof- Blue Cove, Delaware 

After landing at the Centre landing strip, they boarded the Centre helicopter for the short trip to the Centre.There was a crowd on the roof when they landed.Mr. Parker was quick to open the cockpit door.

"I knew you could do it Angel!"

Miss Parker took her father's hand and stepped out of the helicopter.

"Get out of the way!Let them through!"She shouted at the crowd that was gathered.

The sweepers quickly stepped aside but Mr. Raines and Lyle were slower about stepping aside.The Centre medics pulled the gurney out of the helicopter and extended the legs.Rearranging the medical monitors and I.V.'s they began their trip from the roof to the infirmary.The sweepers shadowed them the entire route then took up places in and outside of the infirmary.A doctor stepped forward and read the medical report that was handed to him.

He began his examination and when done, turned to the group waiting around the bed.

"He's still in a coma.It's too soon to judge the severity of the injury.We'll know more in forty-eight hours.Everything that can be done has been done.

"Fine.Let me know immediately if his condition changes."Mr. Parker commanded."Angel, this calls for a celebration."

"Of course Daddy.I want to talk to the doctor, I'll join you in your office."

"Don't be long then."Mr. Parker headed out of the room followed by Raines and Lyle.

Jarod was watched throughout the day.Like all of the rooms in the Centre, the infirmary was equipped with surveillance cameras.The room was quiet except for the beeping of monitors and the thrumming sound of the Centre's air ventilation system.

In the early hours of the morning, after the hourly check by a doctor, a shadow quietly opened the air vent cover and slipped over to Jarod's bedside.Smiling at the disabled camera, the shadow leaned over and took Jarod's head into his hands.With an intense expression on his face Angelo continued.

_Jarod was surrounded by darkness.A light appeared in front of him.Confused, he slowly walked towards it.From out of nowhere Angelo joined him.Jarod's questions were met with a simple smile.He refused to answer any questions, only continuing to smile and beacon Jarod towards the light.Jarod followed him until he was looking into a field.He breathed deeply of the fresh air around him.He closed his eyes and let the sun warm his face.When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Angelo had moved to the crest of a hill.He joined him there and looked in the direction that Angelo was looking._

_ _

_A short distance away he saw a family having a picnic.The family consisted of a man, a red-haired woman and two small boys.One of the boys was playing with a toy plane, buzzing it around like he was flying it.Jarod recognized his family.He saw his father, mother, brother Kyle and himself as a boy.It must be a memory from his childhood before the Centre took him.How could he have ever forgotten that?_

Angelo straightened up and stepped away from the unconscious Jarod.He had created a parallel dream world for Jarod knowing that he would be caught in his childhood memories until a pre-set time.No one knew of his abilities in this area of mind manipulation.It was another side affect of Mr. Raines experiments but one that he had kept to himself.Even at a young age, he knew that this was a secret he needed to keep to himself. He just knew that it would be very bad if Mr. Raines found out he could do this.He looked at the infirmary security camera and seeing the light still out, smiled.Just as silently as he had arrived, he slipped back into the vent and disappeared.

Centre Infirmary 

Morning came with both Miss Parker and Sydney arriving at the infirmary at the same time.Several sweepers watched them as they entered through the doors.Sydney asked the Doctor at the bedside how Jarod was.The doctor updated Sydney on Jarod's medical condition.

"What about brain damage?When will you be able to tell?"

After a moment's hesitation, the doctor estimated twelve hours.

It was actually ten hours later that Jarod woke for the first time since he went into the coma.For the rest of the day he drifted in and out of consciousness.Never staying awake for more than a few moments.Each time he displayed signs of head trauma.He couldn't remember what had happened to him.He couldn't remember what they had told him each time he had awakened.

Sydney and the doctor exchanged concerned looks.Miss Parker caught the looks.

"What?"

"This lack of ability to retain information would seem to indicate severe brain damage.It is possible that it is a result of the swelling in his brain.If the damage persists after the swelling goes down, I'm afraid it is permanent and Jarod will never recover."

Miss Parker looked at the pale man strapped to the bed.Struggling to keep her emotions under control she sat on the edge of the bed.

"So it may have all been for nothing then."

Sydney put a comforting hand on her shoulder then turned and walked from the room.Broots wiped a tear from his eye and hurried after him.

Jarod continued to drift in and out of consciousness.As the hours progressed, the amnesia persisted but the confusion became less and less.Miss Parker remained in the room.She felt a driving need to see this through.

Jarod drifted back to consciousness.He felt so sore and hazy.When he opened his eyes, he saw several people in the room.An older man that he remembered from before was there.He remembered he had said his name was Sydney.

"How are you feeling Jarod?"

"Sore.I know you have told me, but can you tell me what happened again?"

Sydney and Miss Parker shared a look of concern.

"You were in an automobile accident.The jeep you were driving was caught in a rockslide and you were trapped.You injured your head."

"I don't remember any of that, I guess that's probably a good thing based on how much EVERYTHING hurts right now.I do remember seeing both of you several times.You said your name was Sydney…do I know you?Are we friends?"

"Veeery good Jarod!My name is Sydney.I raised you, tutored you.This is Miss Parker.You were childhood friends.We have been very worried about you."

Miss Parker stepped closer to the bed and asked, "What else do you remember? A silver briefcase?"

Jarod looked at her and tried to remember.Trying to remember make his head hurt.He tried to raise his hand to rub his head but was stopped by the restraints he is in.He moved his hands and feet but found himself restrained.He panicked.

"What's wrong? Why am I tied up?"

Sydney put a comforting hand on Jarod's shoulder and soothingly said, "We were worried that you would injure yourself by thrashing while you were unconscious.We needed to prevent further injury."

Something inside Jarod understood and agreed with this explanation.Before he could ask his next question, several men entered the room.Most predominate among them was a stocky, older man in an expensive suit, a well dressed, handsome young man and a frumpily suited, bald man pulling a oxygen tank on wheels.The climate in the room went tense.These people were apparently important.

The stocky older man spoke with a commanding voice, "Ah, good he's awake.What's his condition?"

The doctor that had been standing at the foot of the bed rattled off a medical explanation that was interrupted by the younger man."He's faking it.Give it up Jarod, you don't really expect us to believe this little Pretend do you?"

"Is it a Pretend Sydney?" rasped the bald man.His manner implied that he expected a denial and wasn't about to believe it.

"No, Doctor Bennet and I both believe the amnesia to be real at this time.I suggest we test the degree of injury to the brain after the swelling has completely regressed.There is one way of knowing for sure, have Angelo test him."

This was met by a moment of silence, which was finally broken by the young man."I don't believe it.He's faking it.This is just a trick!"

"Mr. Raines, can Angelo tell if Jarod is pretending?"

"Yes, Angelo will feel the deceit if Jarod is pretending it."Rasped the now named bald man.

"Do it.Get Angelo up here at once.I want a full report yesterday!" that said, the stocky man turned and walked from the room.

The younger man shook his head, "I'm not buying it Sis.I want to be involved in the testing.Whatever you and this lab rat are planning isn't going to work!"Looking to his left, Miss Parker's brother made eye contact with a dark suited man behind him and followed after the older man.

The bald man had been quietly observing the conversation."Willie, get Angelo.I'll be conducting some tests."

Willie the sweeper scanned the room occupants as if daring them to protest and rapidly left the room.

Miss Parker crossed her arms and shook her head in disgust.Lyle was such a jerk!

"What is it? What's happening? Who is Angelo?"

"It will be alright Jarod.Angelo is an empath.He will be able to tell us if you are going to be alright just by touching you."Sydney tried to put all of his powers of persuasion into his voice. 

A short time later, Willie opened the door and pulled Angelo into the room followed by Lyle.

Angelo must be the rough looking man that looked like he was trying to hide from all of the attention.His bearing and actions were familiar to Jarod but his mind couldn't put things into place.His head started to hurt again.He closed his eyes and grimaced.

"Angelo, tell us what Jarod is thinking.Is he pretending to be sick?"

Angelo shuffled hesitantly up to the man in the bed.Jarod opened his eyes as the man sat on the bed beside him and watched nervously as the hand approached and touched him on the forehead.

"Hurt.Lost.Afraid.Only emptiness."Jerking his hand back, Angelo began to sob.Turning to Sydney and Miss Parker he sobbed, "Jarod gone.Brain hurt, body hurt but no Jarod."

Sydney looked away and fought off the emotions he was feeling.Had this accident destroyed Jarod's super intellect?Pain lanced through his heart of the loss of the man he had loved like a son.

Miss Parker clenched her fists in fury.Everything that had happened in the last few years had been for nothing.Lab rat and all of his genius was gone.She had spent every waking hour the last few years trying to bring this man back to the center and all of that was for nothing!

"What does that mean?" Jarod asked quietly.

"Angelo, tell us again.How is Jarod hurt?" Sydney asked.

"Body is hurt but will heal.Brain is hurt but will heal.Almost better now." Angelo said with his voice becoming steadier.

"What did you mean about Jarod being gone?" Miss Parker blurted out.

Angelo looked confused but added, "Part of man that makes Jarod who he is away.This man is new.Like baby.Not Pretending."

"I think what Angelo is trying to tell us is that the identity, the personality that we knew as 'Jarod' has been lost. It would seem that no other significant damage has been done to the brain."

Lyle's brain was spinning with the implications.If 'Jarod' was really gone, then they could tell this person anything they wanted.He could go back to being the useful property of the Centre as if nothing had happened.His plans could take a giant step forward if he could just take control of this situation.

Mr. Raines was apparently thinking along the same lines for he quickly said, "I want him quarantined immediately so that he is not exposed to any "unacceptable" influences."Turning to the remaining sweepers he continued. "You have my orders, no one enters this room without permission from Mr. Parker or myself."

"Oh no you don't!I haven't busted my ass the last few years to be shut out now.I am going to see my father about this now."

"I have worked just as hard on this as you have…"

Arguing loudly, Miss Parker, Sydney, Lyle and Mr. Raines all moved for the door and quickly were gone.Angelo turned to Jarod."It will be alright.Angelo will help Jarod get Jarod back."

"How about helping me get my hands free to start with?"

Angelo nodded and quickly complied.The sweepers watched but since their orders had not included instructions on that, they didn't stop him from unbuckling the hand and foot restraints.

Jarod moved his uninjured leg and rubbed his arms.His head hurt from his injury.A lot had just happened and his brain was having trouble processing it all.He looked at Angelo hoping for reassurance.Angelo nodded and smiled.He stood up and went over to a chair in the corner and started humming to himself.Jarod closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Mr. Parker's office - Centre 

In Mr. Parker's office the argument continued.Sydney currently had the attention of Mr. Parker.

"He may have lost his memory but we have to make him want to stay and cooperate.You could create a peaceful, willing past for him.One where he has worked here for all of his life, this is his job, his ambition.Give him what he has been searching for, a life, a family and a reason to stay here at the Centre.Get his cooperation.If you let Raines and Lyle proceed with experiments and abuse you could re-create the Jarod that ran away.You only get one chance at this.You must listen to me!"

"Daddy, please!Sydney knows Jarod better than anyone." Miss Parker pleaded.Sydney's plan made her feel sick to her stomach but it was better than what Raines and Lyle had planned.The level of Sydney's deviousness shocked her.

As Mr. Raines and Lyle opened their mouths to speak, Mr. Parker commanded the floor."I agree.We make up a past life for him and convince him to cooperate."Before they could object he added, "If he doesn't cooperate, then Mr. Raines will take over his re-education.Angel, I want you to monitor him.Write yourself into his new life so you can be his confidant.If he remembers anything from his past I want you to find out about it!"

"You want me to Pretend to be his friend?"

"Whatever it takes Angel, this is your plan as much as it is Sydney's.I know I can count on you."Raising his hands to her shoulders, he gave her a reassuring smile and nodded.Turning to an angry Raines and Lyle he continued."I want your total cooperation on this.I don't want him running away this time do you hear me?"Giving them both a meaningful glare he turned his back to the group."I want the details on his new life by tomorrow.Until then, Jarod is quarantined."His dismissal was evident and they filed out with angry glares at each other.

"My office Sydney! Now!"

Sydney took a deep breath and followed the briskly walking Miss Parker.

Mr. Raines headed for his office pulling his squeaky oxygen tank and plotting his contingency plan.

Lyle continued to stand and glare in the direction of his sister, his own plans forming.


	3. All My Dreams Pass Before My Eyes a Curi...

Chapter 3: All my Dreams Pass Before my Eyes a Curiosity

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.No profit intended, no harm intended.This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

**Chapter 3: All my Dreams Pass Before my Eyes a Curiosity**

** **

Mr. Parker's office – the Centre

** **

CONFIDENTIAL: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

To: Mr. Parker

From:Pretender Background Committee

Subject:Background of Recaptured Pretender: Jarod

We have created an extensive background for the Pretender named; "Jarod" to coordinate his loyalty and support of the Centre and it's directives.

To avoid unwanted questions, all of the family members must be dead.His parents died from different types of Cancer a couple of years apart.His mother June died of Breast Cancer in 1986, his father Daniel of Colon Cancer in 1989.There was a second son named Ricky that died at birth.He would have been 3 years younger than Jarod.We have established the family name as Jacobs.

NOTE:Records, family pictures and graves have been established to support this scenario.

Both of his parents were doctors.His father worked on exotic airborne diseases and his mother was a psychiatrist.They were both long time employees of the Centre until they died.Recognizing Jarod's exceptionally high I.Q, he was volunteered into the Pretender program by his parents.The Jacobs lived on Centre grounds to cut down on outside distractions and for their own safety.Jarod's father had received threats by terrorists for eliminating some dangerous pathogens. 

Dr. Sydney Greene has acted as his mentor since his acceptance into the Pretender program.His parents worked with Dr. Greene to create a program that they felt would allow Jarod to reach his full potential.He was trained at the Centre but has attended several colleges.His personal security is still of paramount importance.Miss Parker, his friend and confidant has acted in this capacity for the past five years.

Jarod lives at the Centre to be close to his work.We have established a suite of rooms on SL10.We chose not to house him in the rooms he had occupied before as Dr. Sydney Greene felt that he could have subconscious memories of his earlier residency.We have established a high-tech workspace that combines ergonomics and encourages relaxation and comfort.

NOTE:Evidence of his manufactured past exists in this living space in the form of verifiable Degrees, family pictures and "knick knacks" taken from confiscated items of his former hideouts.

Jarod is retained to do consultant work for the Centre.His Pretender background allows him to work in any field, in any discipline.He is a great asset to the Centre and receives an annual salary equivalent to the level of Executive E5.This adds another justification for his personal security.There could be kidnapping potential.He has never been married but dated several women in college.He has known Miss Parker since childhood and they have always been best friends.

He was attending a seminar in Denver and despite the advice of Miss Parker, chose to drive up into the mountains for the day.After his accident, he was immediately returned to the Centre for his recovery.

Miss Parker has been assigned living quarters next to Jarod's at the Centre.She insists on retaining her home in the mountains for weekends and getaways.Her personal items have been moved to support this background story.

All records have been established by Mr. Broots and can withstand close inspection.All personnel that will have access to the Pretender have been thoroughly briefed.Any violations of the guidelines set here will not be acceptable.It comes from the highest level that inappropriate references or behavior will be grounds for extreme termination.

Please refer all questions to the Pretender Background Committee

Mr. Parker read the file and nodded.Standing up, he walked over to his picture window and looked out at the cove this area was named after.

"Good, that is taken care of.Angel, you can fill him in on his background now.Get him situated and back to work as soon as possible."

Barely turning around, he tossed the file onto his desk.His casual discard of the file symbolized his equally as casual discard of his daughter's life.He turned back to the window giving Miss Parker a non-verbal dismissal.

Miss Parker didn't reply to this, just turned and walked from the room.Her emotions telegraphing through the loud click of her heels as she stalked down the hall towards the infirmary.

Miss Parker was both angry and relieved.

Angry because she had been promised a return to corporate when she brought in the Pretender.She wanted out of the clandestine darker side of the Centre.She had bargained this with her father when he first transferred her out of corporate.Now she was sold back into the slavery called the Centre.She had been written into Jarod's new life to keep tabs on him.What about her life? What about what SHE wanted?

After she had vented her anger, she thought of why she was relieved.Jarod would be back in Sydney's care.Mr. Raines and Lyle had "hands off" orders.At least he would be safe.He would get a nice little life all planned out for him.With her influence in the background story, at least he would have more freedom in this life.She had to admit that Jarod had a gentle, compassionate soul, when he wasn't being an Ass and baiting her.This Jarod had not done anything like that since he woke up.He was less confident, more insecure.No surprise since he couldn't remember anything about himself.That was her job now.Convince him that he had lived the life they made up for him.A life that secretly took away his freedom, and now hers.

By the time she reached the infirmary she was ready to put on her "long time friend and personal security person" face.She took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

Sydney was sitting beside the bed.They were talking about Jarod's medical condition when she walked in.

"Well, how are you feeling today Jarod?"

"Tired, sore.I will be glad when I can sit up without getting dizzy."

"I hear that should be soon.You are coming along better than can be expected after what you've been through.I tried to talk you out of your little joy ride, at least you could have rented a roadster!"

"Huh?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat that telling him lies brought, she began to tell him the carefully constructed story of his past.

Jarod was silent when she finished.He didn't meet Sydney or Miss Parkers eyes when he asked to be alone to absorb the information.Sydney put a reassuring hand on Jarod's shoulder and said he would return later to check on him.Miss Parker jumped into the role and leaned down and kissed Jarod on the forehead.

With honest feeling she whispered, "I'm glad you're safe.I missed you.I'll check back later."

She stepped out of the infirmary and saw Sydney waiting just a little bit down the corridor.Her warm feeling quickly dissolved into irritation knowing that she was going to get the "Shrink" treatment from him.

"How are you feeling Miss Parker?"

"How do you think Syd?I should have been back in corporate now, instead I get to play nursemaid.My only hope is that he settles into a nice little routine and I can get my life back."

"Jarod is empathic, he will be able to feel your anger or deceit if you are not convinced that you are doing the right thing for him."

"Thanks Syd, I'm aware of that."She stalked off to her office.

Sydney mentally compared what she had said against what her face had shown when she walked out of the infirmary.He headed for his office to review the stack of potential simulations for Jarod's return to work.

Jarod closed his eyes and tried to fight off his whirlwind of feelings.He couldn't remember any of the things he had been told.His whole life was blank.Some of what he had been told felt familiar but he still felt overwhelmingly lost.

His attempts to force his memory brought back the headache.He was rubbing his temples to try and relax his head when the door opened and the younger, well-dressed man came in with a big smile.Jarod remembered that he had been in the room earlier and seemed to have some issues with his lack of memory.

"Hello again, I don't think I introduced myself before.I'm Lyle Parker, Miss Parker's twin.I wanted to have a minute alone with you to let you how sorry I am about that confusion earlier.There are a lot of politics at our executive level and I was miss-informed by my staff on the extent of your injuries.When I checked my sources I realized that it was posturing within my own department.I have taken care of my little problem.I hope that we will be able to work with each other as we have in the past.You rest and get better.We'll talk after you are up and around again."

Lyle shook his hand and still smiling, left the room confident that he had set things straight between himself and the Pretender.

Jarod was reviewing the conversation in his mind when the door opened again.This time it was the older man with the oxygen tank.He had been identified as Mr. Raines.

"Jarod, are you feeling better?" rasped Mr. Raines.

"I guess, considering what I have been through, I am doing okay."

"I understand that Miss Parker has briefed you on your forgotten memory.Did you have any additional questions?"

"What exactly was I working on?"

"You had completed your last project so you attended the seminar in Denver.We were preparing your next project during your absence.Perhaps when you are feeling better we can send you the preparations to keep you occupied during your stay in the infirmary."

"I would like that.I think a little distraction would make me feel less disoriented."

"I'll arrange to have some files sent to you right away.I'll leave you to your rest."

The squeaking of the oxygen tank sent shivers up Jarod's spine.He couldn't hold back the feeling that the last two visits were not ones he would have welcomed in his past.

His head still hurting, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

_"Jarod, come here and eat, you can play with your plane when you're done."_

_ _

_Young Jarod turned towards his mother, deeply banking the plane to a new flight path.Climbing to a higher altitude he raced towards the blanket and picnic set up in the shade.His father and Kyle were already digging into the fried chicken.His mother hugged him and kissed his forehead._

_ _

_"Come on Captain, land your plane…"_

_ _

_Her tone indicated that no argument would be accepted.Jarod made a perfect landing with the plane and grabbed a drumstick._

_ _

_"That was a pretty good landing son, that could have passed for a carrier landing."_

_ _

_"Really! Can you show me?"_

_ _

_"After you eat," his mother interrupted._

_ _

_"After we eat son, the Commander-in-Chief has spoken."His father said laughing._

In his darkened office, Lyle continued his plotting.He had the list of the accepted Sims that Jarod would be working on when he left the infirmary.It would be easy for him to insinuate himself into the workings of them.Picking up the recorder, he left a list of instructions for his assistant.So much was at stake here.Having the Pretender back and helping could end this quickly.

Mr. Raines was alone in the technician room viewing the surveillance tapes.He raised an eyebrow when he saw Miss Parker kiss Jarod's forehead.Against his advice, she had entirely too much power in this manufactured story.She was going to require close monitoring to ensure she kept up her part.Now that this scenario was going, he could insert his own people into key positions.

His mind was re-focused when he saw Mr. Lyle drop in.Miss Parker he suspected, Mr. Lyle he totally distrusted.He had no place in the manufactured Pretender's history.With this unscheduled visit, he had successfully written himself in.Mr. Raines called his assistant and issued new orders.

Sydney quietly stepped into the darkened infirmary.It appeared that the Pretender was sleeping.As he turned to leave, he was stopped by Jarod's voice.

"Dr. Greene?"

"You used to call me Sydney."

"I wish I could remember that."

Sydney crossed the room and sat next to the bed.

"How are you dealing with this?"

"I'm overwhelmed.A few days ago I had a life that I don't remember any part of.Who am I?My head hurts every time I try to remember."

"The pain will recede.Your brain is trying to repair damaged pathways.Luckily the damage was only to your memory and not to the functions of your brain.You can start creating new memories, find yourself again."

"Dr. Greene, I mean Sydney.I am afraid.I don't know who I am."

Sydney thought of all the other times that he had heard the Pretender say that.

"But we've told you who you are.The rest we can work on together.I understand that Mr. Raines had some research material sent down for you to review."

"Yes, I read through it.I'm anxious to get to work.Something just doesn't seem 'right' about being here."

Uncomfortable, Sydney scrambled to come up with a response.Desperately he spoke the first thing that came into his mind.

"I think you are emotionally connecting with Miss Parker.She and you were developing a closer relationship than she told you.She was concerned about discussing it with you now that your memory is gone."

"Closer than friends?"

"She thought it would be in your best interest to keep that to herself.She didn't want to put any more pressure on you than you were already feeling."

[Sequel][1]

   [1]: ..\CloseMyEyes4.doc



	4. Same Old Song

Chapter 4: Same Old Song Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 659 2001-09-25T03:00:00Z 2001-10-24T05:16:00Z 2001-10-24T05:16:00Z 5 2253 12847 107 25 15777 9.3821 

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone.

Chapter 4: Same Old Song Infirmary - Centre 

When Sydney checked in on Jarod the next morning he found the room had been transformed into a technicians lab.  Computers and equipment nearly filled the room.  Near the bed, Broots stood looking at a monitor as Jarod typed rapidly.  They were so intent on the monitor that they didn't notice his arrival.

He stepped closer and joined them in looking at the monitor.  Instead of the stocks and statistics that were intended as the next Sim for the Pretender he saw technical readouts and trajectories.  Glancing at the other monitors around the room he saw that they too projected technical data.

Concerned that his instructions were already being over-ridden Sydney asked, "What are you working on Broots?"

Jarod glanced up but resumed his typing.  

Broots was more startled and put a hand to his chest.  "Oh Sydney! I didn't see you come in."

Sydney repeated his question.

"Oh, um, we were setting up to work on the stock trends when Miss Parker came and told us that a satellite had lost it's booster rocket firing programming and was malfunctioning.  If it doesn't fire the rockets and get back into it's orbit soon, it could crash somewhere in the Middle East!  Jarod is trying to reprogram it but it keeps rejecting the update commands."

Broots fell silent and renewed his attention to the screen.  

A ringing cell phone broke their concentration.  Jarod paused in his typing as one of the sweepers answered his phone.  The sweeper stepped out of the room to reply to his caller.

In the hallway, Don the sweeper replied to Mr. Raines.

"Yes Mr. Raines?"  
  


"How is the simulation going?  Is the Pretender putting every effort into a resolution?"

"Yes, Mr. Raines.  Mr. Broots is keeping a close watch on him.  He seems satisfied so far."

"Keep watching, Mr. Broots as well.  I want to know if anything is not as it seems."

"Yes Mr. Raines."

Jarod's eyes followed the sweeper from the room before he resumed typing.  

Broots looked at Jarod, then to Sydney.  "You're sending the command to one of the other satellites? What good is that going to do?"

A couple more keystrokes brought a smile to Jarod's face as the malfunctioning satellite accepted the upgrade program.  

"Yes Mr. Broots.  The cell phone reminded me that the satellites were also programmed with a secondary rocket control program to keep them in alignment with the other satellites.  This program runs automatically if they shift out of position.  I just sent the command into this back door and it overwrote the block to the update protocol."

"Wow, um, that's incredible.  I wouldn't have thought of that.  Well not in the four hours it took you to do it and that's with only an hour of research!"

Jarod looked up as the sweeper returned to the room and his former position. 

"It's firing the booster rockets now and should be back in it's orbit in three point seven minutes."

They all waited anxiously until the satellite was back in orbit.  Then Jarod pushed away the food tray holding the keyboard and lowered the bed back into a reclining position.

With the object of his attention gone now, his head ached and his hands trembled.  He began to rub his forehead.  

"Close your eyes and rest Jarod.  You need to remember to take it slower until you have fully recovered."

Jarod kept his eyes closed and began some relaxation techniques.  In the beginnings of his relaxed state, he felt her presence even as he heard Miss Parker coming down the corridor.

On her way to the infirmary, Miss Parker had to reset her thoughts back to "her pretend".  When they had received the call from NASA asking for help, she had not believed they could do anything.   Her father had insisted that the Pretender start earning his keep.  She had been as amazed as the command at NASA when their telemetry confirmed that the satellite was accepting the program and returning to orbit.  

She had seen the DSA's and read about Jarod's Sims but seeing it in action was still unsettling.  She had always gotten some idea of what Jarod had been doing while he was on the loose but she had not noticed anything like this before.  She began to realize how much damage Jarod could have done if he had meant to destroy the Centre.

This thought brought with it another less comforting thought.  This same genius was now in the hands of the people that had misused it before.  People that had no conscience about what good or evil could be done with it.  She was feeling even less happy about her part in all this.

She managed to put her "friend" face back on before she walked through the infirmary doors.

"The people at NASA are feeling pretty happy now, Broots you need to zip up everything that we have here and get it to me to send to NASA.  We don't want them to have to come and get it.  Better they think it was our combined efforts that solved this one."

Turning to Jarod, she noticed his paleness and Sydney's hovering.

"Jarod?"

"He needs rest Miss Parker.  Sims are exhausting and take a lot out of him.  He isn't fully recovered from his injuries.  Broots leave the equipment and let's leave him to rest."

Broots looked at Jarod and without argument added, "Yeah, I'll just turn these off and pull the files from the Tech room.  Get some rest Jarod."

He moved from the room looking anxiously back at the resting Pretender.

On his way back to the tech room, Broots kept thinking how freaky it was to see Jarod not really Jarod.  He had liked the Pretender, respected him.  This guy had Jarod's looks and smarts but none of the personality.  It gave him the creeps!

Sydney beckoned to the sweepers to precede him out of the door.  Looking back at Miss Parker they filed out.  Miss Parker indicated that she would stay.  Sydney scowled but she glared at him.

"Try to rest Jarod.  I will check on you later."

Sydney headed out the door and stopped a short distance down the hall.  He intended on timing Miss Parker's visit to the already exhausted Jarod.

Miss Parker sat in the chair beside the bed.  Jarod opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Miss Parker?"

With a smile she answered, "Jarod?"

He smiled then got serious again.  Sydney tells me that we've been friends since we were children but I can't even remember your first name."

"Then let's start over.  My name is Mary.  We met here as children.  You let me play with the rabbits you were doing some genetic studies on."  A smile crept onto her face, "You gave me one of my own a few years ago.  I named him Bugs, original I know.  I'll show him to you when you feel better.  He's in my apartment."

"How are you doing with all of this?"  She gestured with her hands.

"Overwhelmed.  I don't want to hurt anyone because I can't remember my past."

"We understand Jarod.  We're so glad that we didn't loose you.  The doctor's were worried that you wouldn't make it at all, much less with brain cells intact."

"I'm not so sure that they have.  There is something not quite right with me.  It's elusive but there.  Whenever I think it might become clear to me, my head hurts."

"I'm sorry Jarod.  I wish there was something I could do or say to help.  Maybe being in your apartment will help.  If you feel up to it, I think I can round up a wheel chair to break you out of this gloom and doom room."

"That would be nice.  I would like to see what kind of a person I was."

"I'll go see what I can do about that.  I'll be back later.  Rest Jarod."  She put her hand on his and then turned and left the room.

_Jarod put his hand out the window of the car and let it become the plane.  Swooping up and down with the currents.  He liked the feel of the wind on his hand, through his fingers.  There was something about this simple action that made the day even better.  Kyle watched him and then got up on his knees on the seat and put his hand out the window too.   They shared a look of pleasure at this mutually shared freedom.  His parents talked quietly in the front seat, his father's arm around his mother's shoulders.  Everything felt so happy and comfortable._

_They pulled into the driveway of home.  Jarod noticed a black car with two men in it parked a couple of houses away.  When his parents noticed him staring at the car they whispered rapidly to each other and herded the boys into the house.  _

_As they took their bath together, Jarod and Kyle talked about the car ride home.  They discussed aerodynamics, wind resistance and lift.  That was before the conversation turned into a contest on who could cover themselves with bubbles first.  This brought his mother and a rinsing.  Next came pajamas and bed.  As he settled down for sleep, Jarod looked at the lunchbox his mother had given him that morning.  Tomorrow he would start school and he could hardly wait._

Jarod abruptly woke up.  He didn't remember his dream but something about it had made his heart race and covered him in sweat.  He raised the bed and slid his braced leg off the bed.  He paused a few moments to let the dizziness recede.  Then he slowly stood up.  As he tried to put weight on his leg the room narrowed to a tiny spot and went black.

He woke up to a calming childlike voice.

"It's not time yet friend."

Jarod didn't understand what Angelo was telling him.  Time for what?  The arrival of Miss Parker and Sydney interrupted his question to Angelo.

"Jarod, what happened? Angelo came running down here.  The sweepers, uh security called me."

"I stood up and must have passed out."

"Oh Jarod," she said helping him back into bed with help from Angelo.  "I said I would be back with a wheelchair.  I was just waiting for you to wake up."

"I woke up and just had to get up and move."

"Why Jarod?  Did you have a dream?" Sydney asked remembering all of the bad dreams that used to haunt the Pretender.

"I don't know.  I don't remember if I dreamed.  I just had to get up and move around.  I wanted fresh air and light and… I don't know."  Frustrated he looked away from them.  

Miss Parker sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand in hers.  Holding Jarod's eyes with her own she asked Sydney, "Any reason why we can't take a wheel chair and go out to the hybrid gardens?"

"No, I'll get the doctor's permission and we can all go together."

Sydney left the room.  He was followed by one of the sweepers.  Sydney continued to the nursing station and the sweeper immediately made a call.

"Mr. Raines."

"Mr. Raines.  The Pretender had a nightmare.  Miss Parker and Sydney are going to take him outside to the gardens.  Do you have any instructions?"

"Follow them.  I want to know everything they talk about."

"Yes Mr. Raines."

In his office, Lyle was receiving a similar call.

"Right, I want a copy of the security tape in my office before I get back."  Lyle got up and headed out to the gardens.

Sydney returned with the wheelchair and the doctor.  The doctor made a quick examination and the four of them helped Jarod into the chair after the doctor declared he had not injured himself further.  The wheelchair kept his braced leg elevated and secure but was very awkward to steer.

Miss Parker pushed the chair out of the infirmary and into the elevators.  It seemed forever until Jarod felt the fresh air of the lobby then the sun on his face as they went outside.  Their group grew in size as security joined them in the lobby and put themselves in a loose box around Jarod, Miss Parker and Sydney.  

"Why so much security?" Jarod asked as he was surrounded.

"Just a precaution.  This is the first time you have been outside since you were hurt.  The news would have reported that you were brought back here to recuperate.  We are just being careful."  Sam answered so Miss Parker didn't have to.  He knew that she had problems lying to the Pretender.  They were still under orders to make sure the Pretender didn't go anywhere they didn't want him to go.

Miss Parker shot him a look of gratitude and changed the subject.  "Do you remember these gardens?"  She knew that he wouldn't, he had never gotten to see them.

"No, is that a golden chain tree?  And that, is that a blue jay?"

Chuckling, Miss Parker responded, "Well you are certainly remembering your flora and fauna." 

Jarod grew quiet and alert as he looked around him at the cultivated garden.  His face and body posture relaxed as he enjoyed the trip to the gardens.  As they rounded a group of trees they met Lyle.

"Hello Jarod, it's good to see you out and about again.  Are you feeling better?"

"Lyle.  It is great to be outside again.  I don't remember how much I liked it but definitely more than that room inside."

"You'll be more comfortable when you can get back to your own room.  This little excursion must mean that won't be too far off huh Sydney?"

"We'll have to see how he's doing.  This is just for some fresh air."  Sydney was hesitant to share too much information with Lyle.

"I heard that you did an excellent job on the NASA job this morning.  We're all relieved that the old you seems to be coming back.  Do you mind if I stop by this evening to talk to you about the stock trend Sim you were scheduled to do this morning?  I have some experience with this myself."

"I don't see why not.  Broots said we would run that Sim tomorrow morning unless something came up."

Miss Parker glared at Lyle and started pushing the wheelchair away effectively indicating that the conversation was at an end.

"I'll make arrangements with you later Lyle, we have to finish our walk before the doctor comes looking for his patient."  She added over her shoulder.

Jarod was disappointed when they returned to the infirmary.  He felt relaxed again and the anxiety had left him.  They helped Jarod back into bed and Sydney went in search of the doctor.

When he returned with the doctor, he ordered the others out of the room and they sat down to talk with Jarod.  

"I understand that you were feeling some anxiety earlier today."  The doctor said.

"Yes, I don't know exactly why.  I just woke up and had to get up.  It's better now."

"Dr. Greene and I have discussed possible reasons for this.  We believe your body is building up a level of stress due to your inactivity.  You're used to a much higher level of activity and with all that has happened, your energy level is recovering faster than your body.  I believe I can put you on a physical therapy regiment that will help keep you at a manageable level."

"Thank you doctor."

"We also agree that your condition no longer requires you stay in the infirmary.  We have had security cameras installed in your apartment to monitor for emergencies.  We can move you up there right away."  

Sydney added, "We sent a crew to put handrails where you would need them to help you be more self sufficient.  You will have to promise to use the wheelchair and not try walking yet."

"I'll do that.  Can I go up now?"  Jarod asked excitedly.

"Let's let the crews get out of there first."

  
A non-descript woman in a nurse's uniform walked in.  "Is this my patient?"

"Jarod, this is Nurse Colleen.  I would like you to work with her every day until you are recovered from your accident.  I expect it will take several months so don't push yourself too hard."

With that the doctor's left the room and the nurse began to explain what she was going to do.


	5. Just a Drop of Water in an Endless Sea

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 301 2001-09-25T03:14:00Z 2001-10-27T02:28:00Z 2001-10-27T02:29:00Z 4 1988 11335 94 22 13920 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Chapter 5: Just a Drop of Water in an Endless Sea Jarod's new quarters – the Centre 

By evening, Jarod was situated in "his" apartments.  He had let them show him all of the changes they had made then asked them to leave.  He wanted time to absorb this unremembered space that was his past.  He slowly rolled the wheelchair around examining the objects that filled this space.

In a secure tech room, Miss Parker, Sydney and Mr. Raines watched him on the security cameras.  He spent a lot of time looking at the objects that were souvenirs of his outside lairs.  He picked each one up and closely examined it.

"Do you think he's remembering?"  Mr. Raines rasped.

"There is nothing for him to remember, Angelo verified that.  I am more concerned with hidden memory fears.  Fears he wouldn't know the source of but could still drive the fight or flight instinct in him.  We must not do anything that will cause him to feel threatened.  It will take some time to relax this instinct.  He has spent the last five years developing it."

"You remember this Sydney, he is a Pretender, OUR Pretender.  He is here to do a job.  We expect results first and foremost.  I am willing to humor you only as long as we get results."  Turning he pulled his squeaky oxygen tank out of the room.

"What is his emotional state Syd?"

"Fragile.  He has lost all of the morals and convictions, all of the things that made him the man he was.  Now he is who we tell him he is.  He could do anything.  If we push him too hard he will give in to the fight or flight instinct."

"What do you mean by that?  You still raised him; you must know what he'll do.  This is just another type of Pretend for him isn't it?"

"Far from that Miss Parker.  He doesn't remember his upbringing.  If we push him too hard he could become a sociopath like Kyle, a sadist like Lyle, or just run away and disappear for good."

"He has too much compassion to become a either of those psychos."  Miss Parker scoffed.

"No Miss Parker, he doesn't.  Part of what made Jarod compassionate was his realization of guilt.  He understood the implication of his simulations.  I spent hours after each Sim reassuring him that the Centre wouldn't let his work fall into the wrong hands.  His guilt and the realization that the Centre was what he suspected drove him to stop performing Sims and escape.  His work on the outside was a result of his guilt.  He no longer feels guilt over his past.  He has no opinions on right or wrong anymore.  In this state he is capable of anything."

"I can't believe that Sydney.  The man in that room is still gentle and caring.  Look what he did this morning, he saved more people than I can imagine…"

"No, he performed a Sim, a test that challenged his intellect.  There was no compassion or moral motivations in it."

There was a moment of silence as she thought about that.

"My God Sydney.  What have we just given the Centre?"

"A Frankenstein we can't let them corrupt."

"What can I do?"

"Get close and stay closer.  We have to be the compassion and conscience in his life until he can develop one of his own.  If Mr. Raines or Lyle get too close they could easily insinuate their conscience into him."

As if mention of his name conjured him, Lyle knocked on the door to Jarod's apartment.

Broken from his thoughts, Jarod heard the second set of knocks on his door.  He rolled across the room and opened the door.  

"Lyle."

"How's it feel to be back home?  May I come in?"

Jarod gestured for Lyle to come in.  He did, shutting the door behind himself.  He knew that someone would be rushing down here after seeing him arrive on camera.  He needed to get his business done before they arrived.

"I didn't really come here to talk stocks Jarod.  I'm taking a big risk here, not with my job but with my life.  I wanted to warn you about something dark operating here at the Centre."

"What are you talking about?"

Lyle looked up at the camera facing them. "I've scrambled the sound to the cameras.  We used to trust each other.  We were trying to find out what it was and who was involved before you were injured.  Can I count on your help again?  Can you trust me now?"

"Lyle, I don't know you, I don't know anything…"

Lyle interrupted.  "You are key to their plan Jarod.  It's important that you get an alliance of people you can trust especially now that you're hurt.  Listen, they won't let me stay here long, they probably already have people on their way here.  Trust me Jarod, we are on the same side."

Miss Parker knocked on the door and without waiting, glided into the room.  Pretending to look surprised at Lyle's presence she acted embarrassed.

"I'm sorry Jarod, I thought you were alone.  I wanted to surprise you with dinner at my place."

Lyle knew that she had been aware of his presence and looked knowingly at Jarod.  Jarod exchanged his look.

"I was just checking in on Jarod.  I have to get going.  I'll see you for the stock Sim Jarod.  Good night."  

Miss Parker held the door for Lyle as he stood up and headed out of the room.  He couldn't keep a smirk off his face as he passed.  She took a deep breath before turning around and facing Jarod.

She was thrown off guard when he asked in an irritated tone, "Do you always walk into my apartment uninvited?"

Her first reaction was anger but that quickly changed to fear.  Had Lyle already corrupted Jarod?

Jarod felt her anger turn to fear.  He waited to hear what she had to say.

"Jarod?"  Seeing that he was waiting for an explanation she continued.  "I'm sorry, I didn't think.  Having you back was comfortable for me.  I forget you don't remember what was comfortable for 'Us'.  If you want me to wait for an invitation I will.  I'm sorry if I've irritated you.  Can I make it up to you with a dinner at my place?"

Jarod accepted her explanation.  He could feel her fear and sincerity.  Relaxing, he motioned for her to sit beside him.

Taking her hand in his he said, "No Mary, I'm sorry.  This is all so overwhelming.  Please forgive me."

Seeing the smile that beamed from her face was all of the reassurance he needed.  "What is for dinner, my favorite I hope.  That way I'll know what it is."

Her laugh was infectious and soon they were both laughing.  "Hell no!  I can't eat junk food like you do, I have 'real' food planned!"

"If we're finished walking down memory lane could we head to my place?  I'm starved!"  At his nod she got up and pushed him to the door.  "Does it feel like home to you?"

He could hear the worry in her voice.

"No." he responded sadly.

After dinner he sat stroking her bunny, Bugs.  Dinner had been a vegetable casserole that she had cooked despite her denials that she couldn't cook.  Good food with good company had left him happy and relaxed.  They had laughed through dinner and dessert.  His disbelief that he could have forgotten ice cream left them hysterical.

When she reached over to stroke Bugs on his lap he took her hand in his.  

"Mary, where were we before I was hurt?"

Uncomfortable she asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, where were 'we'?  I don't remember my rooms or yours, this place or the people but I do remember this comfortable feeling with you.  Were we just friends or something more?"

Miss Parker stood and paced to the window.  She was unprepared for this and afraid of giving the wrong answer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.  Maybe I should go back now."

He put Bugs down on the floor preparing to wheel the chair out of there.

"No Jarod, stay.  You just caught me off guard."

Sitting beside him again she took his hand.

"Jarod, we have been many things to each other.  I had the biggest crush on you when we were growing up.  I fantasized about marrying you and having kids, and bunnies, and picnics, and all of that mushy stuff.  When my father sent me off to school I didn't see you for twenty years.  You had your work and I was just too far away."

Uncomfortable with the rest of the story real and invented, she took a deep breath and continued.  "When I did come back, I was busy with my career and climbing the corporate ladder.  Then five years ago I was assigned to be your security.  The Centre thought that our childhood together would be an asset.  We had our rocky moments getting to know each other again.  You introduced me to Thomas.  He and I were so in love.  We were planning a new life renovating houses in Oregon when he was killed.  I fell apart when he died but you were there for me.  Helping me to get myself back together, opening my eyes, driving me crazy and bringing me back."

Jarod listened to her.  Hearing what she was saying and what she was leaving unsaid.  Sydney had said she was not going to pressure him to be more than he wanted.  On impulse he leaned over and kissed her.  She hesitated and gave herself into the electric kiss.  He leaned into the kiss as far as the chair would let him.  She accommodated him and slid off her chair and into the kiss.

Bugs pawing at his leg to be lifted up again distracted Jarod from the kiss.  He looked down at Bugs and Miss Parker laughed nervously.  She moved to back away and Jarod held her.  

"Mary, I want there to be more."  He whispered as he gently brushed her hair away from her face.  

His whispered sincerity struck a note in her lonely heart.  She cried in his arms.  He could feel her sadness, gladness and fear.  He didn't know why she would feel all of these things or if that was good or bad.  He just knew that he did want more from her.

She pulled herself together and stood when there was a knock at the door.  Seeing her dishevelment, Jarod said, "Why don't you take a minute and I'll get the door."  

She smiled her gratitude and slipped into the kitchen.

Jarod opened the door to see Sydney.  

"I had heard you were having dinner with Miss Parker.  I wanted to check on you before I went home for the evening."

"I'm fine.  You don't live on Centre grounds?"

"No.  I have a house in Blue Cove and a cabin in the mountains.  A psychiatrist sometimes needs to get away from his work to keep his prospective."

"Sydney."  Miss Parker acknowledged from the kitchen doorway.  "I would have thought you'd be home by now."

"I wanted to check on Jarod before I left.  He's had a very eventful day.  How are you feeling?"  He directed his question to Jarod.

"A little less overwhelmed thanks to Mary."

"Are you ready to call it a night?  I could walk you back to your room?"

"Go ahead Jarod.  I do dishes worse than I cook.  I wouldn't want to totally discredit my reputation.  Get some sleep.  I'll come and pick you up in the morning.  We will actually be using a Sim lab this time."

Jarod nodded and Sydney took the handles of the wheel chair.  Miss Parker came around giving Sydney a 'don't you dare say anything' look, and gently kissed Jarod.

"See you in the morning."  She whispered.  She held the door while Sydney pushed Jarod out and down the hall to his apartments next door.   She smiled and gave him a wave before turning back into her rooms.  Jarod waved back and opened his door.

"It seems you and Miss Parker had recovered some ground this evening."

"Are you fishing Sydney?" Jarod asked seriously.

"Fishing?"

"Yes, fishing.  Trying to get information without asking directly."

 "It would seem so.  I am pleased that you have apparently overcome some of your anxiety and taken steps to get to know Miss Parker better.  Do you feel up to it?"

Sydney wheeled him into the bedroom.  Pointing to the bed or the bathroom he waited for a response from Jarod.  Wheeling himself to the bed, Jarod reached overhead and lifted himself up grimacing.  Sydney quickly captured the leg brace and maneuvered it onto the bed.  

Jarod let the pain of moving recede before he pulled off the tee shirt he was wearing and settled back into the bed wearing just the hospital pants he had on.  

"I need something to balance the spinning in my life.  There is something I feel when we are alone like we were tonight.  Something that makes me feels normal, comfortable, and less afraid."

Looking Sydney straight in the eye he added, "This place is not what it seems.  I don't know if it's because I'm different or if something here is.  And I have a feeling that you wouldn't tell me if you knew."

"I can't Jarod, for your own good.  You have to discover who you are without the burden of your past.  It is dangerous to your Psyche.  Your feeling of loss and anxiety would only overcome you.  I'm sorry." 

Sydney could tell by his stare that Jarod was 'reading' him.  He apparently gave Jarod some reassurance because Jarod nodded and wished him a good night.

Resetting the chair in case Jarod needed it in the night, Sydney turned off the lights and left the apartment locking them securely behind him.  Sweepers that had stayed just out of Jarod's sight were standing post outside the door.

"Miss Parker will be coming for him in the morning.  No one else should be visiting him.  No one, do you understand?"

They nodded.  These sweepers were part of the crew that reported to Miss Parker, hand picked by Sam.  Sydney felt comfortable leaving Jarod in their care.

On his way home he considered the actions of Jarod and Miss Parker.  Would this be the closeness that they would need to protect Jarod?  Was Miss Parker really becoming involved or just going along with the ruse?  He wished he had the answers to those questions Jarod's life depended on it.


	6. All We Do

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 890 2001-10-07T08:08:00Z 2001-10-27T02:33:00Z 2001-10-27T02:33:00Z 5 2194 12510 104 25 15363 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Chapter 6: All We Do Jarod's Quarters – the Centre 

_Jarod stood at the play yard fence and looked back at the street.  His mother waited in the car and waved goodbye to him.  The smile on her face showed how proud she was of him on his first day of school.  He grinned and waved back.  He was excited about being in school.  He skipped a few steps and joined the flood of children going in._

Jarod found himself watching the interaction and horseplay around him.  He was accustomed to the company of his small family and this was fascinating.  The things they were struggling to learn were things that he already knew.  That gave him lots of time to watch the other kids.  

_School was over too fast.  He dragged his feet out of the school and looked for his mother.  She was where she had dropped him off that morning.  Kyle was hanging out the car window happily shouting for him.  Jarod looked both ways and ran across the sidewalk and up to the car.  He talked the whole way home.  He just couldn't wait until the next day!_

_When they pulled up into their house, he noticed the black car with the men again.  They looked familiar but they were not the two that were there the day before, or the day before that.   They just seemed to fit into a similar category.  Kyle danced into the house announcing that he was going to go to school with Jarod._

_Dinner, bath and bed just didn't come fast enough.  Before he fell asleep he went over the names of all of the kids in his class.  He fell asleep repeating them over and over pleased to have met so many new kids._

Sweating and filled with anxiety, Jarod awoke to see Angelo sitting on the edge of his bed.  

"Angelo, what are you doing here?"

"Not time yet friend."  Angelo said and laid a hand on Jarod's arm.  Jarod resisted the darkness that he fell into but was soon lost.

Miss Parker knocked on Jarod's door the next morning while waving the sweepers down the hall and out of sight.  She knocked again when she didn't get an answer.  After the third set of knocks she opened the door with her passkey and walked in.

Conscious of their conversation the night before, she stood at the door and called his name.  She heard him ask her to come here.

"Where are you?"

"In the bathroom, I need your help for a second."

Miss Parker walked into the bathroom and to her surprise, saw Jarod sitting in the tub.  

"Jarod, what in the world are you doing?"

"Taking a bath.  But I'm having trouble getting out I'm too slippery.  I knew you would be coming shortly so I waited a few minutes."

Embarrassed, Miss Parker looked without looking.  Jarod looked pretty good sitting there, wet, buff, naked…

"Could you give me a hand?"

She pushed the wheelchair aside and moved to the edge of the tub.  

"What is that on your leg?"

Putting his hand on an inflatable leg brace Jarod looked up at Miss Parker.  He observed the blush on her cheeks and said, "I'm sorry, it didn't occur to me that perhaps we had not been intimate.  Would you rather call in one of the guards?"

"Um, no, I've seen lots of naked men.  Now give me your arms and let's lift you to the edge. When you're there I'll pull the chair over for you."

She may have been talking calmly and detached but she was anything but that.  She had seen lots of men naked but they weren't Jarod.  In doing her research on Jarod she had viewed years of video on him.  His entire life was on camera.  Everything including showers, medical exams, exercises, lots of naked Jarod pictures but they were nothing compared to the warm, firm, flesh and blood body in her arms now.  

Lifting his torso while he pulled himself with a handrail they got him to the edge of the tub.  He lifted the braced leg up on the edge of the tub with the other leg outside it.

The impulse to nuzzle his neck and run her hands across his back, chest and stomach …Stop already she told herself.  Looking for a distraction she so desperately needed she went back to the brace on his leg.

"So tell me about that life preserver you have on your leg.  That wasn't there last night."

"It's an inflatable leg brace.  Paramedics commonly use them because they take up less room, are portable, and easy to put on.  Just slide them under the injured limb and inflate them.  It's been several days since I took a real bath.  I called down to the infirmary and the doctor had one sent up for me.  Works pretty well doesn't it?"  He grabbed a towel and started to dry himself off.

"Uh huh." She agreed.  She grabbed another towel and started rubbing his back.  

He quickly realized that it was taking a long time to dry his back.  He stopped and looked at her face.  She was flushed and immediately met his eyes.  

"Jarod, I…"

With only a second's hesitation, he pulled her into his lap and kissed her.  

He tasted and felt every bit as good as she had imagined.  Her whole world was spinning.  The ringing of the phone brought her back to the real world.  No camera pointed here but it would have been noticed that she was in his bathroom.  

"That's probably Sydney wondering where we are.  Come on; let's get you dressed and ready to go.  I ordered breakfast for the Sim lab."

Slowly and intently she kissed him.  She ended the kiss and stood up.  "I'd better let them know we're fine of they'll send the cavalry up"

She nodded at his arousal and smiled "I'll give you a minute then help you finish getting dressed."  She stepped out and picked up the still ringing phone.  "What!"

"Miss Parker?  Is everything all right?  Nobody was answering and we couldn't see anyone in the cameras."

"Jarod was having trouble getting out of the bathtub.  Have someone come up and replace this tub with something he can get in and out of.  I want it done before we get back here tonight.  We'll be down in a few minutes.  Is breakfast there yet?"  
  
Uh yes, I'll get right on it.  Um, the bathtub I mean, I'll get right on the bathtub."

Miss Parker hung up and headed back to the bathroom.  Jarod was toweling his hair dry.  Bending over and hugging him from behind she nuzzled his neck.  "Can we resume this tonight at my place?  No cameras," she added with a twinkle in her eye.

Taking her hand to his lips, he commented, "It's going to be a very long day."

She nuzzled him again and taking the towel from his hands, draped it over his lap.  She pushed the wheelchair into his bedroom and in view of the cameras.  She helped him slip on fresh hospital pants and replace the inflatable brace with the cloth and metal one.

She knew that this was painful by the sweat that broke out on his forehead.  She was as gentle as she could be until it was done.  She handed him a fresh tee shirt and admired the view as he pulled it over his head and settled it over his firm stomach.  She was openly staring at him in lust when he looked up at her to signal he was finished.   

As they headed down to the Sim labs, Jarod thought it was going to be very hard to concentrate with Parker in the room.

To Jarod's relief and disappointment, Miss Parker left after they had eaten breakfast.  

She was headed towards her father's office.  He had left word that he wanted to see her when the Pretender was at work on the Sim.  She knocked and walked into his office without waiting for his response.  She greeted her father and ignored Mr. Raines who was standing across the desk from her father.

"Daddy, did you want something?"

"Ah, Angel excellent job with Jarod.  I hear that everything is going as planned.  He hasn't resisted any of our instructions and is working up to our expectations."

"He seems relaxed and recuperating.  It's still critical that we continue with the plan.  Sydney          says he hasn't fully reprinted his personality yet.  Daddy if we want this to work I still need a hands off order."

"And you'll get it Angel, as long as we get what we want.  I want him to return to work on Gemini.  Despite the loss of the Gemini boy, the last experiment was a success.  Now with Jarod back we are ready to move onto the next phase which will perfect the technique and prepare it for multiple specimens at a time."

"Daddy, you're talking about cloning human beings!"  

"Angel I am not going to discuss this anymore.  What ever it takes, and I expect no less from you.  Am I clear on this?"  
  


"Perfectly."   Miss Parker said as she turned and walked from his office.

"I'll order the lab set up."  Mr. Raines turned and dragged his oxygen tank from the room.

Hybrid Gardens – the Centre 

Miss Parker headed to her office but couldn't think there.  After walking, she found herself in the same hybrid gardens that she and Jarod had been in earlier.  She looked for a quiet, private spot and sat.

The conversation that she and Sydney had the other day about Jarod came to mind.  With his memory loss Jarod was capable of working on Gemini but he wouldn't have any conscience about the implications.  Frankenstein would be creating more monsters for the Centre to loosen on the world.

She asked herself if she could she be apart of this again.  Did she even care?  She could write herself out of the Jarod story and leave the Centre.  Make Daddy honor his part of the deal.  Jarod was back and her part was done.  To hell with a job in corporate, she just wanted out.

But she had risked it all once to help the boy.  She had reached that decision before and gladly.  She had just not gotten there in time.  Jarod and his father had saved the boy.  Now it was Jarod that needed saving, and before he could create more clones.  

A plan.  She would need help from Sydney and Broots but could she trust them?  Should she involve them and risk their lives too?  Then there was Debbie to think of.  

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Angelo hopped down into a squatting position beside her.

"Angelo, my god you scared me!  How did you get out here?"

He shushed her.  "Feel daughter's pain.  Help."

"You shouldn't be out here.  Let's get you back inside."

"Help daughter.  Angelo can help."

"Help me?  Help me with what?"

"Angelo feels daughter's pain.  Can help free Jarod, stop Gemini."

"I wish you could Angelo, I wish you could."

"Can."  He nodded confidently.  "Angelo can get Jarod's help.  Jarod can pretend it."

"We can't get Jarod's help without telling him I lied to him.  Once he knew that, he would have no reason to trust me."

"Can."  Angelo continued confidently.

Miss Parker shook her head in disbelief and took Angelo's hand to lead him back inside.  He lifted her hand and put something into it.  When she looked at it, he turned and disappeared into the bushes.  

It was a DSA.  She hurried to her office and pulled out her DSA player.  Placing it to face a "dead" corner that she knew was safe, she turned it on.   

It was night in Jarod's rooms.  Jarod was sleeping quietly when he started to list out names.  None of them sounded familiar to her but he continued to list them.  Then he became agitated and began shouting NO and thrashing around.  From somewhere in the room, Angelo sat on the bed and touched him.  Jarod immediately woke up.

_"Angelo, what are you doing here?" the DSA Jarod asked.  He sounded different.  Surprised but confident and secure, like the old Jarod._

_"Not time yet friend."  The DSA Angelo said and touched Jarod again.  She could see Jarod go wild eyed and resist Angelo.  In just a minute, Jarod slumped down and seemed to fall back into a calmer sleep._

She stared at the blank screen in shock.  What was that all about?  What had Angelo done?  Jarod had been dreaming but what could he remember to dream about.  Angelo had said that Jarod was not there anymore.  Angelo had said it but why would he lie?  Could it be true?  It had seemed like a child's dream rather than a memory of the accident.  For just a moment, Jarod had acted like he remembered Angelo.  

Sub Level 20 Sim Lab 12 – the Center 

Monitors were set up throughout the lab.  They displayed updating data from the New York Stock Exchange.  Current and projected events were displayed on an electronic world map on one wall.  Speeches by the movers and shakers around the world were being broadcast simultaneously.

Jarod rolled his wheelchair in a slow circle.  Occasionally he would stop and watch numbers scroll across a screen.  Cock his head and listen to something that was on the speakers.  He was absorbing the data like a sponge, weighing it, analyzing it.

Broots watched from an observation center in the lab.  He knew how much data was being piped in there since he was in charge of keeping it coming.  To him it was distracting and noisy; he knew that Jarod was assimilating the data.

They were well into the stock analysis Sim when Lyle came into the lab.  This made Broots nervous.  He stammered a greeting of sorts. 

"Mr. Lyle, what are you doing here?"

Barely giving Broots a glance, Lyle watched the Sim intently.

"Yes Lyle, what are you doing here?" Sydney asked.

"Just checking on the Centre's investment.  Tell me Sydney, how does Jarod's performance measure up against his earlier Sims?"

Suspecting the purpose of Lyle's visit, Sydney was careful with his reply.

"Taking into account his injuries, I would estimate his responses and performance has improved since his return to the Centre.  His experiences outside the Centre, even forgotten have given him an improved perspective that he would not have had if he had remained."

"Really?  Well that is the only good thing about his little 'vacation'" Lyle said rubbing the stub of his thumb.  "How much longer until he gets results on this one?"

"Simulations are difficult to predict.  He has been at it for several hours but has not started to replay events or narrow down the scope.  It could be hours or days."

Lyle stood closer to the observation window and ignored them.

Twelve hours later, Jarod rolled his chair over to a computer and began a comprehensive projection report.  Several hours later he completed the Sim and rolled the chair back.  Finally feeling fatigue, he slumped in the chair and looked around the now quiet room.  Sydney stepped up and began a massage of his shoulders.  

"Are you ready for some food and rest?"

An exhausted Jarod just nodded.  Sydney rolled the chair from the room and headed back to Jarod's room.  As they arrived at his rooms, Miss Parker joined them.

"Jarod, Sydney.  Just in time.  I've put together a light meal for Jarod in my place.  I'd invite you Syd but I didn't make enough for three."

Sydney looked at her and wondered what she had on her mind.  

"Jarod, are you up to it?"  Sydney asked.

Looking at Miss Parker's suggestive smile, Jarod nodded, "I think a little bite before bed would be alright."

"See you in the morning Sydney," Parker said and turned Jarod's chair towards her rooms.  She looked over her shoulder and mouthed to Sydney, "We'll talk tomorrow."

Sydney nodded and headed for his office.


	7. Crumbles to the Ground though we refuse ...

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 509 2001-10-07T08:09:00Z 2001-10-27T02:33:00Z 2001-10-27T02:33:00Z 4 1826 10411 86 20 12785 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Chapter 7: Crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see Miss Parker's Quarters – the Centre 

Miss Parker opened her apartment and pushed Jarod into her living room.   She knew that the sweepers would be posting themselves outside her door.  She had made sure they knew where Jarod would be so that he was never suspected, his freedoms unchallenged.  

She had an electric fireplace going and music softly playing in the background.  She pushed him to a cozy spot by the fireplace and running her hand across his shoulders added, "I'll get us a drink."

She stepped over to a wet bar and poured them a glass of white wine.  Handing him one she gracefully sat on a chair near his wheelchair.

"I hear you get to go to a knee brace and out of that full leg brace."

Sipping the wine, Jarod nodded.   "The physical therapy is going well.  Have I ever used crutches before?"

"I don't remember you ever having a broken bone before."

"Hum, just lucky I guess."

"Actually, pretty well monitored.  You were very sheltered as a child."

"Didn't I ever play?  Climb trees, play sports?"

"You were always very serious as a child.  I think I was the only child you played with.  Well, Angelo and me.  We roamed the halls when you were not running Sims.  Angelo showed us some of his maze in the air ducts."

"There are pictures in my rooms, but were there any home movies or videos of my family?"

Uncomfortable Parker stood, "What am I thinking?   I invite you for dinner and don't bother to feed you.  Tonight is stir fried shrimp and veggies."

Quickly she headed for the kitchen and turned on the stove to heat the wok.  

"Mary?  What's wrong?"

"Nothing, how your wine?"

Putting down the glass and turning the chair, Jarod looked at her.  "What did I say?"

"Nothing."

"You can't tell me nothing's wrong and then practically glow with emotions.  Why can't you answer the question?"

"Jarod, I just can't."  More quietly she added, "It would put you in danger."

"So Lyle was right."

Stepping towards him she asked alarmed, "Right about what? What did Lyle tell you?"

"Why should I be in danger?  What is so bad that it scares my bodyguard?"

Parker walked across the room and sat down next to him.  She stared at him, looking deep into his eyes.  She was looking for something.  Recognition.  Amusement.  But she didn't see it.  There was only the unanswered question and a growing suspicion.

 She could see him closing off from her, the suspicion overriding the curiosity.  Lyle was winning.  She reached for his hand and cupped his face in her other hand.  "I've seen a different side of you.  One I didn't let myself see before.  You've always been compassionate, kind and ready to help the underdog.  I've always had to be tough.  Hide my feelings and prove to the world that I didn't care about anyone or anything.  But I care about you Jarod.  I have always cared about you."

"I want to help you, protect you.   I just don't know how to do it right now."  She shook her head and looked down.

Jarod stared at her, through her.  He could see the vibes she was putting off. He could feel that she was hiding something, but he knew that she was telling the truth.  That she did care for him. 

A thought came to his mind, a feeling, as sure as any of the Sims he had done in his life.

He put his hand over hers and waited for her to look up at him.

She looked up at him questioning.  Did he pity her?  Or was he apathetic as Sydney suspected?

He wiped the tears from her checks and said, "I don't know much, but I know that you have always been in my heart.  That is the one thing that doesn't seem wrong about this world that I woke up in.  Something tells me that I have always loved you.  That I've been waiting for you to feel it back."  

She looked into his teary eyes and with a sob slid into his arms.  He held her and they cried together.  The smell of the overheated wok distracted Jarod.  

"Is something on fire?"  
  


"Oh NO! Our dinner!"

She jumped up and ran into the kitchen.  He rolled the chair into the kitchen to assess the damage.  Luckily the fire was quickly out.  Mary looked at him and burst out laughing.

"I told you I couldn't cook."

"You just need a highly qualified assistant.  Why don't you rinse that out and we can try that again."  

In a short time they had a more appropriately seared shrimp and veggie dinner.  They held hands as they ate.  Taking turns feeding each other with the chopsticks.  The chopsticks were set aside for feeding with fingers, then kissing.  As they finished off dinner, their eyes silently agreed to take it another step forward.  

Smiling seductively, Mary stood and rolled Jarod into her bedroom.  Working together they got Jarod up onto the bed.  With a raised eyebrow, she pushed the chair well away from the bed.  Her facial expression implying that he was not going to get away using that chair.   He patted the bed beside him and she quickly complied.

She melted into his embrace feeling at home for the first time in this make believe home.  He held her tightly and breathed in her scent.  He stroked her hair and started to nuzzle her neck.  She responded by capturing his lips with her own.  The electricity that flew between them sparked more passionate kissing.  His hands slid up and down her back.  Her blouse caught on his hand and he found himself rubbing her warm smooth back.  She purred in pleasure.  

Sitting up beside him, she slowly worked his tee shirt up.  Her passion increased as she exposed his powerful warm chest.   She unbuttoned her blouse and slipped off her bra and lay against him.  Again she melted into his reaching arms and they kissed.  Both of his hands moved over her body, while his lips floated over her lips, face and neck.  Their breathing increased, their movements suggestive of the next step.

"We're moving pretty fast, are you okay with this?" Jarod whispered to her.

"I'm only holding back for your sake."

Looking down at the evident sign of his arousal he said, "Don't hold back on my account, I'm sure that mind and body are in complete agreement."

Purring again she slid her hand down his neck to the waistband of the hospital pants.  She played with the waistband, tickling his sensitive groin area she untied the ties and slipped her hand beneath the fabric.  Lightly running her hand up the length of his shaft she leaned her body closer to him.  She firmed her grip and the speed of her strokes.  

He groaned and leaned into her hand.  He held her closer and captured one of her breasts with his free hand.  He captured her lips again, teasing her nipple with his thumb.  He slid his hands down to her waist and pushed her slacks off her hips.  She shifted her body to allow him to slip them further down.  

Intensely aroused, she slid her hand out of his pants and pulled her own off.  Slipping out of her panties she took his pants by the waistband and slid them off.  They resisted at the leg brace.  She had to sit up to unbuckle the brace.  Carefully pulling off the pant leg she re-buckled the brace and in a smooth swift move, straddled him.

"Still okay?"  She asked to see if she had hurt him with her ministrations to his knee.

"Right now I don't even think I have legs.  Now, where were we?"

Smiling, she slid her body over his.  Working with the friction of their bodies she increased his arousal.  Shifting her body up slightly, she slid down his groin and slipped his shaft into her wetness.  Together they groaned in pleasure.  

His breath infused her, dizzying, intoxicating, and flooding her veins with heat.  His lips touched hers, as soft as a whisper, as sure as the beat of her heart.  Her senses reeled with the impact of him.  Every pore of her skin opened to him. Was filled with him.  There was nothing else in her world but him.  There had never been a moment of purer, all-encompassing pleasure in her life. 

His skin seemed to blend into hers, a slow electric disruption that left her dizzy and filled with him, empty and aching for him.  She ran her fingers through his hair.  She could feel his heartbeat pulsing against her breast, his fullness between her legs, pressing into her. 

The physical sensation racked her body and spun her to dizzying, breath-robbing heights.  Yet sensation seemed so small a part of the experience that physical fulfillment peaked and passed and still she clung to him.  She couldn't let him go, she couldn't return from where he had taken her.  She couldn't let it end.  She remained cradled in his arms, holding him tightly, waiting for the wonder to pass but it didn't. 

She saw the satiated tenderness in his eyes.  A sensation swelled inside her that was strange and beautiful and terrifying and huge.  It was an ache, a joy and need.  The power he had over her made her shutter.   The world had been made complete and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do to keep him safe.

They slept in each other's arms.  

Tech Lab, Surveillance Section – the Centre 

Mr. Raines growled his anger when he heard what the sweeper watching the Pretender's cameras had to say.  He had walked in and found the sweeper relaxing with only casual glances at the cameras.  

"What do you think you're doing?  The security on the Pretender must never be relaxed."

"He's not there sir.  I'm just keeping the area secure."

"What do you mean he's not there?  I was told that he had ended the Sim hours ago."

"Yes sir.  He's with Miss Parker.  They're having a late dinner.  She implied that he would be staying the night there.   We have sweepers posted outside her room, down the hall and outside the Centre."

"He's with Miss Parker?"

"Yes sir.  Dr. Greene confirmed that with Mr. Parker.  They felt it would help secure the Pretender's cooperation."

"Let me know immediately when he leaves the room."

Jarod shifting restlessly woke Mary from sleep.  She was alarmed that he was in pain.  Like the DSA that Angelo had given her, Jarod was dreaming.  He began mumbling in his sleep.  Talking about the men in black suits that were outside.  His restless shifting turned into thrashing.  She pinned him when she saw him twisting his injured leg.  When she decided to call for help Angelo shocked her by appearing at her shoulder.  Despite her nakedness she didn't release Jarod.  She thought she knew what he was going to do.  

As soon as Angelo touched Jarod, the struggles changed.  It became less physical and more mental.  She could see it on Jarod's face.  Angelo was struggling with Jarod's mind.  She grabbed his hands and pulled him away from Jarod.

Jarod was sweaty and tense but the struggling had stopped.  Angelo sat back tired.  

Climbing off the bed and wrapping a sheet around her body, Parker asked, "why?  Why are you doing that to him?"

"It's not time yet."

"What are you talking about?  Time for what?"

"To stop Gemini." He said like it should be obvious to her.

"What does this brain washing have to do with Gemini?  They only just decided to start it up again."

"Jarod would not stay if he came back.  He needs to be here when they bring all the files back for Gemini.  Only then can we stop it once and for all.  Only Jarod can do this.  Gemini is bad and must be stopped.  Daughter knows."

Parker thought about what he had said.  Jarod was the only one that could totally destroy the Gemini project.  Keep them from trying again.   She gently caressed Jarod's sleeping face.  "Is he really still in there?"

"Jarod is there.  Just lost.  He will come out soon."  Smiling sheepishly he added, "fights out every night now.  Jarod has strong mind.  My mind is no match for him and soon he will know it.  Then he will be Jarod again."

"And hate me for the lies."  She said full of sadness and remorse.

"Not long.  This is still Jarod.  His feelings are real, not confused by hunter/prey.  He loves with all of his heart.  Head will just have to catch up."  

Angelo rested his hand on her shoulder in consolation.  "Trust him, believe in him.  This is the way it is suppose to be.  You have been One since you were born.  I see, feel this."

Parker felt a tear roll down her cheek.  "I can't let him out of my life now.  I love him."  She turned to Angelo only to find him gone.

She crawled back into bed and curled herself around Jarod.  Praying that she could hold back the dawn and have this moment forever.


	8. Dont Hang On

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 2 299 2001-10-14T07:35:00Z 2001-11-04T03:53:00Z 2001-11-04T03:53:00Z 7 2108 12021 100 24 14762 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

This chapter is for Jamie Denton.  After meeting this wonderful guy in person, I could never see Lyle as totally evil and bad again despite how well he played it. – A great fan.

Chapter 8: Don't Hang On 

Miss Parker's Quarters – the Centre 

_I still remember the little girl that gave me my first kiss._

That thought ran through Jarod's mind as he drifted awake.  It confused him but feeling Mary curled into his side was warm and comforting and it drifted from his mind.  A knock at her door roused him fully.  He looked around for his wheelchair and saw it on the other side of the room.   He also noticed that he was tangled in the sheets with her arm and leg draped over him.

Another knock at the door encouraged him to shift towards the phone on the nightstand beside the bed.  It was just out of the reach of his arm and his shifting woke up Mary.  She moaned as his warmth shifted.  She opened an eye and started to speak when she heard the next knock.  

"It must be Sydney checking to see if I've eaten you alive."  Smiling as the train of thought brought some nice mental images.  "I guess I'll have to leave that for tonight," she said leaning over to Jarod and meeting his kiss.

Another knock and she got up.  Jarod shifted up and made as if to slide off the bed to a standing position.  Quickly coming around the bed she stopped him.

"Oh no you don't!  You sit until I bring your chair over.  When the doctor says you can stand, then you can stand."  Jarod eyed her and admired the view as she brought the chair and stopped it in front of him.

"How can I disobey that order when the temptation to have you deliver the chair is so overwhelming." He growled pulling her into his lap.  The insistent knocking interrupted their kissing.  

Wrapping her robe around her nakedness she stalked out of the room and he heard the door opening.  He had no memory of this but he just knew that the person at the door was going to get an earful when it opened.

Awkwardly he dressed in the clothes he had worn the night before.  He wheeled himself into her bathroom.

Parker briskly opened the door and glared at Sydney just as he was about to knock again.

"What!"

"They told me you were still here.  It's time for Jarod's physical therapy.  I'd thought you'd be up by now."

"You mean you were being nosey.  Step in, no point in feeding everyone's curiosity."

Sydney stepped inside at her gesture.  She slammed the door behind him and leaned against it facing him.

"So."

"Miss Parker?"

"So what Freudian wisdom are you going to share with me this morning?"

"I don't know what you mean Miss Parker.  I'm very pleased that you and Jarod are finding common ground."

"And?"

"Why does there have to be more?  Are you happy?"

"Happy and scared."  Slipping her mask off, she looked towards the bedroom to see if they were alone.  "This is what I want but …" She stopped and tried to measure Sydney's heart.

"What is your interest in Jarod?"

"I'm interested in what is best for Jarod.  I have raised him since childhood.  Where are you going with this?"

"What do you think is best for Jarod?"

"What's going on here Miss Parker?" Her questions were raising his suspicions.

"Just answer the question Syd.  What do you think is best for Jarod?"

"I could ask you the same thing Miss Parker."

Growling in frustration, she swore under her breath.  Sydney had always been good at avoiding direct questions.  

Pushing her finger hard into Sydney's chest she pushed him back a step.  "Okay.  You play your games but hear this, I will not let anything him.  I am willing to let this go on as long as they keep things as is.  As soon as they try to go back to the old game he's out of here.  And if you get in my way, it will be your body that I use as a human shield.  Do you understand?"

"Miss Parker, I would never do anything to injure Jarod.  The days of quietly looking the other way are over for me.  They were the day he escaped from the Centre.  You will have my full support if they ever change their plans for Jarod."

"Can I trust you?"

"You just did.  With your life and Jarod's."

Her inner voice telling her he spoke the truth about this, Parker continued at a whisper.  "Jarod is still Jarod.  Angelo has some kind of a mind lock on him."

"What?"

"Jarod was dreaming last night.  Remembering his past.  Before he could break out of it, Angelo showed up and mind locked him again.  He told me that he needed Jarod to destroy Gemini and knew that Jarod would never willingly stay here.  Jarod has nearly broken out of the mind lock every night.  It won't be much longer before Jarod can resist it completely.  When he does, he's gone."

Her voice sounded tearful as she finished her story.  "Daddy told me they were going to set up the lab and get Gemini going.  They want Jarod to perfect the process.  The lab will be ready in another day."  She left the rest hanging.

Sydney tapped his knuckle to his lips and started to pace.  "Then we must have a plan before then.  I'll talk to Broots, see if he's willing to help.  Miss Parker, you're going to have to do everything you can to keep this a secret.  If Raines or Lyle find out, Jarod will be imprisoned this time with no hope of escape."

Jarod rolled into the room his hair still wet from the quick sponge bath he had taken.  He knew from their reaction at his appearance that they had been talking about him.

Trying not to be paranoid he assumed a cheerful appearance.

"Sydney, did you come to be part of the parade after I get this leg brace off?"

"I thought I would see how you were doing.  The doctor feels optimistic about your quick recovery."

"Will you join us?" Jarod asked Miss Parker.

"After I shower.  I'll bring breakfast."  She bent over and kissed him, caressing his face.

He felt a lump in his throat at the loving look she gave him.  He covered her hand with his and whispered, "I love you."

She kissed him again and straightened up.  

"Well you two get going.  I'll join you in the infirmary."

Sydney opened the door and Jarod rolled out.  

"I want to stop and change first."

Sydney walked with Jarod to his room and they entered.  The sweepers were at the end of the hall waiting for Jarod's trip to the infirmary.  Sam caught her eye and pointedly looked upwards.  She nodded confirmation.  Miss Parker closed her door and headed for the shower.  

Willie knocked on the door to Mr. Raines's office.  He entered and waited until Mr. Raines acknowledged him.

"Jarod is headed for the infirmary with Dr. Greene.  Other than sleeping with Miss Parker, the sweepers report everything is normal."

"That we know of.  I want cameras installed in Miss Parker's room as soon as she leaves.  I want to know everything the Pretender does."

Willie nodded and left the room.

Mr. Parker's Office – the Centre 

Lyle smirked when he got the sweeper report about his sister's nocturnal activities.  He knew that she had a soft spot for the Pretender despite her denials.  What he was surprised at was his father's apparent acceptance of this.

Looking up from the report he had been reading, Lyle asked him.

"If it keeps Jarod here I could care less what she does with him.  He certainly has better blood than that Thomas fellow she was going to go to Oregon with.  Who knows, we could get lucky and she could get pregnant.  Then we'd get two pretenders for the price of one."  He appeared to think that one over and added, "Yes, in fact I think that is exactly what we need."  

Lyle made his face blank as his father called and issued the order to her doctor.  So much for asking her opinion on this he thought to himself.  His father would like the way things were headed.  Testing had proven that the Pretender gene made ninety percent of the pretenders sterile.   They were lucky to have two here now that were not.

Kyle, Angelo, Ethan, and himself were all sterile.  Lucky for him he thought.  Although a few years ago he wouldn't have minded the duties as stud and the power it would give him, dear old dad could just as easily put him in a cell like he had Jarod.

His sister had been checked when she had her appendix removed.  Jarod was also found to be viable.  It had not occurred to the Centre that he would escape before they had sperm samples from him.  And they called themselves a 'Think Tank' he smirked.  They had fixed that the next time they had Jarod.  He hadn't stayed in their tender care long enough to get more than the one vial.

It would seem that his sister would get to play brood mare to Jarod's Stud, with or without her consent.  His mind raced with the implications of this.  Excusing himself he left his father's office and headed for his.  He had plans to work out.

Infirmary – the Centre 

Jarod was perfecting his crutch skills when Miss Parker arrived.  It had taken him no time at all to master the technique and was maneuvering around quite well.  

"Are we through here?  Breakfast is ready in the Sim lab."

With a cautionary, the doctor sent Jarod off.

"What is our Sim for today?"  Jarod asked.

"Research.  They're setting up a lab for some genetics research.  You've worked on it before but didn't have time to work out some of the issues."  Changing the subject she teased, "We had to come up with something to keep you from racing the halls now that you aren't slowed down by that wheelchair."

This got a laugh from Jarod but he did slow his pace.  

Sub Level 20, Sim Lab 12 – the Centre 

When breakfast was over Jarod began to study his earlier research on genetics.  Parker and Sydney shared a knowing look.  They knew it was the Gemini files he was absorbing.  When Broots arrived, Sydney pulled him aside and under the pretext of looking at a computer, asked for his help.

Midway through the afternoon, Lyle meandered into the Sim lab.  He took in the stacks of files and checked out the lab areas and equipment they were quietly setting up.

His wanderings brought him to his sister's side.  She glared at him when he stopped.

"What are you doing here Lyle?" she hissed at him.

"Just checking on our progress.  This Sim is very important to the Centre."

Looking over to Jarod she whispered, "I'm aware of that.  He's cooperating."

Lyle leaned in closer to whisper in a voice for her alone.  "You need my help on this one sis, I have information you need.  Meet me at the cove in two hours.  You really need to go for a run."

"I wouldn't need your help if you were the last person in the world."

"I think you do, this involves your new boyfriend.  For once listen to what I have to say."  As an incentive he added, "for his sake."  Looking at Jarod and back to her he affected a bored expression and left the room.

Her mind raced with possibilities.  Lyle was not to be trusted but she couldn't afford not to know what he was up to.  It was entirely possible that he was siding against Raines just for his own gain.  Regardless, if it meant keeping Jarod safe she would be on the beach.

She looked at Jarod again.  He was oblivious to everyone around him as he absorbed the files he was reading.  She joined Sydney and Broots.

Private Centre beach, Blue Cove 

She was jogging on the beach at the appointed hour.  As she jogged she planned how she was going to kill Lyle if this was a ploy to get her away from the lab and Jarod.  An extremely slow and painful death she promised herself.

Just as he had said, he was jogging alone heading in her direction.  They met and circled each other like jungle cats before a fight.

"I have to admit that I'm surprised that you actually came."

"This had better be good Lyle or you'll have trouble dragging yourself off the beach when I'm done with you."  She threatened.

Taking a deep breath Lyle started.  "You have no reason to believe what I'm going to tell you but I'm ready to get this off my chest.  Most of what you believe about me isn't the whole truth.  My position here at corporate is fabricated to give me a bad boy reputation.  I was placed here by the Tirumverate as a mole."

She snorted and rolled her eyes at his blatant lies.  

He continued,  "Things have been getting out of hand for years.  Too many clandestine experiments and too many valuable resources lost due to psychos like Raines.  The Triumverate wanted someone that reported directly to them.  Our father has been working outside the Triumverate directives and they wanted to know the extent of his defection.

"Do you really expect me to believe this?  I've seen the atrocities you've committed.  You're as big a psycho as Raines."

"No.  I'm not.  It's easy to act like one, you're guilty of that yourself.  You act like an Ice Queen but you have loved Jarod since you were a child.  It's obvious on all of the videos I looked at.  That's our mother's side.  I have it too.  I want to help you and stop dad."

"I'll bet, and take over as chairman of the Centre."

"No.  I want to get the hell away from the Centre.  I'm married.  I want to go back to my life."

That struck a note of truth with her.  Her instincts accepted his words like a puzzle falling into place.  

He saw the smallest relaxation of her face and continued, trying his best to convince her.

"I've been away from my wife almost four years now.  It's too dangerous for me to see her more than a couple of times a year.  She begged me to disappear when I lost my thumb.  She said I should stay dead and let the Centre go to hell on it's own.  The Triumverate convinced me to return.  I can stop Raines and our father.  Working together, we can do it faster."

Pacing she struggled with what she had heard.  "Lyle, I don't know what to believe.  I have to think."

As she began to move away Lyle shouted to her, "Think fast.  We don't have much time.  Ask Angelo about me.  He knows the truth!"  

Looking after her he shook his head in disappointment and frustration.  He knew it would be difficult for her to believe him but he had hoped her instincts would make it easier.  If she sought out Angelo she would believe.  He resumed his run down the beach, his mind formulating plans and reviewing options.

Mr. Raines watched the meeting on the beach.  He was too late to have a listening device planted.  He pressed a speed dial on his cell phone and started the wheels in motion.


	9. Nothing lasts forever but the earth and ...

Jarod is allergic to pistachios- pops up later & he will "remember" and fight out of Angelo's mind block Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 358 2001-10-13T18:05:00Z 2001-10-27T02:34:00Z 2001-10-27T02:35:00Z 4 2052 11702 97 23 14370 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Chapter 9: Nothing last forever but the earth and sky The Centre 

The next few days were spent in long days at the lab.  Jarod spent his time studying the research or setting up the lab the way he wanted.  Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots worked on the details of Jarod's escape.

When he wasn't at the Sim lab, he was with Miss Parker.  Over the last few days she had learned the exquisite pleasure of anticipation.  Making love with Jarod was more than just an hour's frantic passion.  It began each day with the dawn's first caress and didn't end until she drifted to sleep at night in his arms.  

She had quickly found the cameras in her apartments and had Sam sweep her apartments each day before she and Jarod arrived.  She pumped her sources and found out that Raines was responsible.  A not-so-accidental meeting in the hall with him, a few very real threats about going to her father stopped the cameras.  She continued to have Sam sweep the rooms for bugs or cameras.  She wasn't entirely convinced that Raines was willing to give up that easily.

She was still wondering what to do about Lyle.   She couldn't put it off anymore.  The danger was too great for Jarod.  She sought Angelo out in the lower sections of the Centre that he called home.

He was sitting quietly by a fan in SL25 when she found him.  As she walked down the stairs slowly, she formed the questions in her mind.

Gracefully she sat down beside him.  "Angelo, I need your help.  I need to know about Lyle.  He said you could tell me the truth.  What is the truth?"

"Truth, Lyle is brother."

"Is he as bad as we think? Is his heart bad?"

"Brother hides secret.  He is mother's son too."

"I know Lyle has a secret.  I want to know what it is.  Is Lyle evil?"

"Brother has done bad things but heart is not evil.   Daughter has done bad things but heart is not evil.  Brother seeks to end the evil like daughter does."

"Did he tell me the truth?  Is my father one of the evils in the Centre?"

"Mr. Parker evil.  Must stop Mr. Parker."

Sub Level 20, Sim Lab 12 – the Centre 

Sydney watched as Jarod worked on the Gemini Simulation.   This was not the first time that he was surprised at how quick and bright his protégé was.  This time however, he had hoped that it would have taken him a little longer to prepare.  

Miss Parker's rescue plan was not finalized.  They wanted to destroy all of the Gemini files and enable all of them to disappear.  All of the files were here but the bulk of them were in the Centre main frames.  Broots could delete them but they would be caught in the act.  They had to disappear before they could be stopped.  That was the only condition that Broots had put upon his offer to help.  All of them had to get out safe.  He insisted that they were all his friends and he wouldn't leave any behind to the Centre's retaliations.

Miss Parker had told him that Angelo was still keeping Jarod mind blocked.  Jarod nearly broke the lock every night.  Sydney was worried for her if Jarod did break free.  He would be furious and she could be in danger, from Jarod and the Centre.

Miss Parker arrived along with their lunch.  She had insisted on bringing Jarod's breakfast and lunches to the lab.   Dinners were still a late night event in her quarters.  Her pretext of keeping the Pretender healthy and happy stood up against the suspicions of Mr. Raines.   

It was obvious to everyone that the Pretender was happy with Miss Parker's company.  They held hands and parted with a kiss.  His injuries were nearly healed.  The only evidence that he had been severely injured was a yellowing black eye and his limp from the nearly healed knee.  His physical therapy was progressing on schedule.  He walked without the use of crutches and only wore a small brace to support his knee.  He worked long hours and to all appearances their fabricated story was working as planned. 

In reality Miss Parker knew her appearances would distract Jarod for several hours for each meal.  She made sure he was not thinking about the Sim each time she left the lab.  It was the only legitimate way she could think of to stall the project.  She convinced her father that Jarod had completely accepted his fabricated life and things were getting serious between them.

This was what he wanted to hear so he discarded all of the complaints expressed by Mr. Raines.  Lyle supported her arguments in this.  He had put up the appearance of ensuring the Pretender's continued support of the Centre in several conversations he had with Jarod.  He was able to convince their father that Jarod was an asset now and there was no need for concern.

Lyle walked into the lab looking for Miss Parker.  His sources had said lunch was being sent.  He joined them for lunch and afterwards pulled his sister aside.

"My network has everything in place now.  When the word is given, you and Jarod will be taken to a safe place.  Sydney, Broots and Debbie will be moved to a different location.  I have more time to get out so I'll follow after I see what the Centre is doing in the wake of your disappearances.  Talk to Broots about finishing the program to destroy the files.  We'll set a day when he's ready."

She nodded.  "Stop by before I take Jarod back.  I'll have the answer from Broots then."  Keeping up appearances, she scowled at him for the cameras, and signed thank you to him with her hands.  

He turned and left the lab.  Heading back to his lab he thought he saw a shadow turn the corner ahead of him.  Worried that someone was spying; he picked up his pace to reach the corner.  When he reached it he looked both ways but saw no one.  His suspicions still active, he planned on having one of his sweepers watch his back.  He would advise his sister to do the same.

Miss Parker left the lab in a good mood.  The plan was nearly complete.  Broots said he could have the program done in two days.  He had to be able to overwrite some of the mainframe defense programs he had written.  He sheepishly explained that he had written them to be unbreakable.  A minor hold up she thought.  

Jarod was not quite ready to get back to work.  He started to read the lab test results but was distracted by a bowl of pistachio nuts sitting beside the keyboard.  He didn't remember anyone putting those there.  He picked up a few and shelling them, popped them into his mouth.  He unconsciously ate several more while he read the reports.

He had not finished the section he was reading when he began to feel strange.  The room got suddenly very hot.  His vision rapidly became tunneled and he felt his tongue swelling up in his mouth.  Shaky and sick he stood up and lost his balance.  Unable to move or speak he collapsed to the floor.  

Broots looked up from his monitor in time to see Jarod stand and collapse.  

"Jarod!  What's wrong?"

He raced from the monitor room into the lab.  Sydney looked up to see what Broots was shouting at and turned to see Jarod on the floor.  He shouted at a sweeper to call the infirmary and get the doctor down here immediately.

He reached Jarod before the others did and could tell that Jarod was having trouble breathing.  His skin was pale and clammy, his eyes unresponsive.  His eyes looked around to see the source of Jarod's illness and swore.

"What is it Sydney?"  Broots stammered.

"Pistachios!  He's in anaphylactic shock.  Get that doctor down here now or Jarod will die!"  
  


"He must have eaten some of the pistachios.  How did they get here?  Did anyone see who put these here?" 

No one including the sweepers had noticed anyone in the room that was not supposed to be there.  The pistachios had not been on the carts with the lunch.  The sweepers routinely checked the carts.  

"Broots, pull up the surveillance tapes and tell me who put them there.  You two put him up on the table there."  The sweepers he was talking to swept the table of items and lifted Jarod.  Sydney took the First aid kit that was handed to him and injected Jarod with a syringe of antihistamine he found there.  

"Sydney, will he be okay?"  Broots asked.

"I don't know.  Jarod is deathly allergic to pistachios.  Thank God it was made mandatory for all first aid kits to carry antihistamine after he collapsed as a child after his first taste of one, and that was just a pistachio by-product.  This was the real thing."

The doctor and several nurses came running into the room with a gurney.    Jarod was quickly examined and transferred to the gurney.  In a few short minutes he was on his way to the infirmary with Sydney following.  Sam took charge of the lab and held everyone that had been in the room.  Broots was on the computer getting the lab security tapes for Sam.

In the infirmary, Jarod was quickly hooked up to a vitals monitor, oxygen and an IV.  He was given a stronger antihistamine when he didn't seem to be improving from the first.

Word got out quickly, Miss Parker and Lyle rushed in followed by Mr. Parker.  Mr. Raines arrived shortly after.  A frantic Miss Parker held Jarod's hand and questioned Sydney.

"What the hell happened Sydney, I was just down there!"

"We had gone back to work after lunch.  I heard Broots shouting and turned around and saw Jarod collapsed on the floor.  There were pistachios all over the floor next to him.  Based on his reaction, he must have eaten several."

"Oh my God, this is our fault.  We put so much thought into the story to make it believable but we never thought to tell this Jarod that he was allergic to them.

"How is he doctor?"  Mr. Parker asked.  

"It's serious I'm afraid.  His respiratory system has arrested.  I think Dr. Greene got the drugs to him in time but he will be in here a couple of days.  I'll know more when the medication starts to work.  I'll have to keep him on oxygen and sedated when he wakes up, to rest his respiratory system"

"I want to know how this happened.  Heads are going to roll for delaying the Gemini project!"  Mr. Parker bellowed and left the room.

Miss Parker and Sydney remained with Jarod.  Lyle went to check on Sam's progress.

Despite their best efforts the lab tapes were inconclusive.  They showed a shadow moving just below the tables and a shadowed, gloved hand slipping the bowl of dangerous nuts onto the table.  The shadow couldn't be more defined, there were no fingerprints and everyone was accounted for in the room.

Jarod's breathing improved in a couple of hours but he was still unconscious.  Miss Parker sat at his bedside holding his hand and talking to him.

Jarod woke in the infirmary.  He tried to push the oxygen sheets away from his face but Sydney appeared and held his hands down.

_"You must leave the oxygen tent alone Jarod."_

_"What happened Sydney?  Why am I here?"_

_"You had an allergic reaction to the nutritional supplement you had with your lunch.  It was a derivative of a nut called a pistachio.  You must never eat anything that contains that in it.  You are severely allergic to it."_

_"But how will I know if it does?"_

_"We've made special notes in your file.  I just wanted you to know what it was called."_

_Jarod looked towards the door of the room and saw Dr. Raines and Mr. Parker watching him through the observation window.  They scared him and he shuttered.  He turned back to Sydney._

_He closed his eyes and went back to sleep._

_The nurse poked his finger with a pin and drew a drop of blood.  He watched as she squeezed it onto a glass slide and left the room._

_He pounded on the glass trying to get someone's attention, "Where's my mom and dad?"_

_He sat in the Lucite ball and screamed at the flames around the base._

_He cried for refuge when the simulation scared him._

_He touched the glass and could feel Miss Parker's soul through it._

_He felt the electricity as she gave him his first kiss._

_He remembered seeing Kyle before he knew he was his own brother, pouring the liquid on his hand only to discover that Mr. Raines and substituted it with acid._

_He remembered the drug that Mr. Raines had gotten him addicted to._

_He remembered showing the Janitor how to make origami swans._

_He remembered Damien shooting him._

_He remembered running through the fields with sweepers and dogs chasing him._

_He remembered finding a new life outside._

_He remembered finding Kyle, his father, Emily, seeing his mother._

_He remembered these things not the lies that he had been told.  _

He jerked awake.  He was enclosed in an oxygen tent.  He tried to push the oxygen sheets away from his face but Sydney appeared and stopped him.  It was an older Sydney and this was not a childhood memory.

"You must leave the oxygen tent alone Jarod."

"Where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary.  You ate some pistachios and had a severe reaction."

"It's not a dream then."  

The glare that Jarod turned on him caused Sydney to back up a step.  Recovering quickly, he leaned back to whisper, "You've recovered your memory."

"Yes.  How could you do this to me?"

"Listen to me Jarod.  We only just learned what Angelo had done.  Angelo knew you were the only one that could destroy the Gemini project for good.  He also knew you would never voluntarily stay at the Centre.  We thought you were really lost to us.  They made up a story but it gave you freedoms here.  Raines had to stay away.  We were nearly ready to destroy the files and escape from here."

"I remember Sydney.  I remember everything.  Get out of my sight.  Get away from me NOW!"  Jarod's voice rose.

"Think about it Jarod.  This is our only chance to destroy Gemini.  If you could keep the pretend for a few more days we can stop them and be out of here."

"Get out of here Sydney."

Sydney left.  Outside the door he stopped Miss Parker from entering.  

"He remembers.  He is feeling angry and betrayed.  I don't know what his reaction to you will be.  Please be careful."

Miss Parker choked back her tears and put on an ice queen face.  Against Sydney's advice she entered the room.


	10. It slips away

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 414 2001-10-13T18:09:00Z 2001-10-27T02:35:00Z 2001-10-27T02:35:00Z 4 1935 11034 91 22 13550 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Chapter 10: It slips away Infirmary – the Centre 

Miss Parker felt Jarod's eyes on her as she walked in the door and around the bed.  She stopped and sat down beside the bed.  Now that she was in the room, Jarod refused to look her in the eyes.  She took a deep breath and hoped that Broots had scrambled the cameras.

"Do I get to explain or are you going to shut me down like you did Sydney?"

There was a cold silence before he answered,  "Did you give me a chance? An Explanation?  Or did you just do what you wanted like I was the lab rat you always called me?"

She was hurt by the hostility in his voice.  She swallowed her shame and heartbreak and continued.

"We found you in Denver, unconscious near death.  We brought you back.  Angelo told us that your memory was gone.  To keep you out of Raines's hands, Sydney and I came up with a plan.  One that created a past life for you that gave you freedom but cost your cooperation.  We only wanted to keep you safe.  With your memory gone there was nothing for you in the outside world.  The Centre was the only place we could keep you safe."

"I remember more than that.  I remember you tricked me into thinking you cared.  Tricked me into thinking that there was more."  His voice broke.

"There was no trick.  I do care about you. Sydney cares about you.  What were we suppose to do?  Give you to Raines and go our own merry way?  Enjoy our freedom knowing that you were being tortured and abused and never even knowing why?  Have you remembered nothing about us?"  Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"They want to launch Gemini again.  Angelo said you were the only one that could destroy it.  That you would never stay willingly even for that.  He said he had blocked your mind.  We thought you were gone until he told us that.  We've been working on a way to get out of here.  We were almost ready.  We just needed a couple more days for Broots to break into the main frames."

"I want to be alone.  I need to think."

"I do love you Jarod.  No trick, no lie.  You and I are real.  I never made that up."  She stood and left the room before he could say anything to hurt her feelings.  She wasn't strong enough to hear that.

She headed to the hybrid gardens.  Away from people and cameras but she knew she couldn't run from herself.

In the gardens she wept.  Deep, wracking sobs that couldn't reach the depths of her broken heart.  She had betrayed his trust.  The thing he most valued was honesty and trust and she had lied to him.  She had always needed and wanted him so she used his trust and injury to get what she wanted.  It didn't matter that her excuses were good.  She had used him.  

Despite everything that the Centre had done to him all of his life he had kept his soul.  Put into her hands for only a short time and she had managed to steal that.  She was so ashamed.

Other than her father, Lyle was the last person she wanted to see but he found her and sat down uninvited.  

"I hear he was a little hard on you."

"I deserved it."

"Only if you think so but he doesn't have all of the facts."  He paused, "A few days ago, you and the others believed the worst of me.  I was guilty of everything wrong in the world, and I let you believe it for your own safety.  Jarod thinks the same of you right now.  I know it's not true, deep down you know it's not true.  I've gotten to know him pretty well since he's been back, he'll come around."

"Thanks Lyle, but I don't think he will.  I took something he had managed to keep safe from the Centre all these years.  He won't ever forgive me."

"Time will tell - I got a second chance."  He took a deep breath and continued,  "I have something else for you to think about.  You and baby Parker are in danger. Baby Parker is really Jarod's."

He waited for her shocked attention to continue.   "When the Centre had Jarod after you were shot they took sperm samples.  Trying to make up for not having any before he escaped the first time.  They offered to artificially inseminate Bridgitte and she took it.  She really did love dad.  Thought it would cement his position in the Centre.   A lot of good it did her."  Lyle frowned.

"Which brings me to your problem.  Baby Parker isn't a Pretender but he carries the gene.  Funny thing about that gene, it doesn't pass on well.  He's sterile, like Kyle, Angelo, Ethan and myself.  It seems Jarod and you are the only ones able to pass it on."

"What are you saying?"

"Dad issued orders that your birth control be substituted with sugar pills.  I heard him order it myself.  Seems he wanted to encourage a pregnancy between you and Jarod.  I don't think your wishes were a consideration.  You need to get out now with baby Parker.  They'll use one or both of you to keep Jarod in line."

**the Centre**

Sydney and Miss Parker were turned away at the entrance to the Infirmary.  Jarod was declining all visitors claiming exhaustion.  Broots went with them one of their trips to the infirmary.

"What's up with Jarod?"

Rather than telling him that Jarod had recovered his memory, Miss Parker slanted the truth.  "Jarod's upset because we forgot to tell him that he was allergic to those damn nuts.  He doesn't like feeling silly or stupid.  It probably doesn't help that we can't find out who put the nuts there.  They obviously knew what would happen.  He's in danger and doesn't know what to do about it."

She knew that Broots talked to everyone in every corner of the Centre.  She was hoping that she could avert suspicions long enough to let Broots finish the hacking and they could get out of here.

When Jarod was released from the infirmary the next morning, he returned to the lab and the simulation.  Broots was the only one that he spoke to, and then it was just about the Sim.

It was late evening when Jarod surprised Broots by calling his name.

"Um, yes Jarod?"

"Could you come here for a minute?"

Broots hurried over to Jarod.  

When he stood beside him, Jarod typed a sequence in and whispered to Broots.  

"I've looped the cameras.  You have less than ten hours to clear out.  I've sabotaged the DNA for Gemini.  They'll never be able to get it to work again.  I've set viruses in the main frame to destroy all of the files and then some.  If you have a plan for escape, you'd better use it."

He typed another sequence into the computer, stood up and went out the door.  The sweepers surrounded him and he was gone.

Broots stood there in shock.  It took a moment for Jarod's words to sink in.  When they did he hurried from the room and headed straight for Sydney's office.  Sydney was staring into space when he rushed into the room.

"Sydney!  Jarod's done it!  He says we have less than ten hours to clear out before all hell breaks out!"

"What?  Slowly Broots."  Sydney asked.

 Broots lowered his voice and hastily whispered.  "I was in the lab with Jarod.  He called me over to say that he was done.  He's sabotaged the DNA and files and gave us less than ten hours to get out.  Do you think he means it?  Shouldn't we be going?"

"He means it."

"Miss Parker" Sydney said on the phone, "It's time."

That launched their escape plan.  Miss Parker socialized with her father only long enough to say that she was headed to her cabin for the weekend.  She left and didn't look back.  Sam and Debbie were already in the car waiting for her.  Broots met them in a Blue Cove supermarket where he had parked his car.   Sydney said his goodbyes and left, implying that he was on his way to a comedy club with a date.  Baby Parker was being lifted out of a laundry hamper into Lyle's waiting arms.  He was going naked in case there was tracing devices in his nursery wear.  Miss Parker had instructed Broots to get everything they would need to take care of a baby.  He got into his car and drove off Centre grounds.  Angelo prowled the Centre checking to see that everyone was out safe. 

Jarod was already in a rental car and headed for the state line, his mind in turmoil.  Knowing the Gemini DNA structure like he did, he had no trouble re-designing it to breakdown when all elements are together.  If they studied it between now and it's disappearance, they would never know that he had changed it.  

He had also set an exploding virus to seek out and degrade everything with that file type and replace it with random chemical formulas so that it couldn't be recreated or traced.  The virus attached itself to files, that way, if they copied it, it would still self-destruct.  It was set in motion the moment he typed in the second set of commands.  As soon as he returned to his room, he asked not to be disturbed.  He scrambled the cameras, set them into a loop to show a few couch pillows in his bed and crawled out through the vents.  Using his old escape route he was in Blue Cove and in the rental car in no time.

He had destroyed Gemini, sabotaged the Centre mainframes and escaped but he was not feeling satisfied or validated.   He was feeling very off balanced.

Somewhere out of Delaware 

They met at a prearranged safe house.  Broots nearly had a heart attack when Lyle walked in the door.  Miss Parker had kept Lyle's secret very secret, even from them.  It took a lot of explaining to convince them that the Centre was not coming any minute.  

Lyle had arranged this portion of their escape.  His contacts at the Triumvirate had ensured their safety with all of the resources at their command.  Lyle left them there.  He was returning to the Centre to run interference and alert them if their location was discovered.  

They were quickly and quietly moved to a very private military base on some island.  They were kept in the dark about the exact location.  They were housed in the base housing and asked to blend in.   Miss Parker took charge of baby Parker.  This was something that she could do for Jarod.  If she had nothing else to give, she could surround this little boy in her love.

Miss Parker was not surprised at the influence of the Triumvirate in the military.  They seemed to have their hands into everything.  She was hoping that she had not gotten them out of the frying pan and into the fire.  What if the Triumvirate decided that they wanted Pretenders working for them?

Jarod's quarters - The Centre 

Dan the Sweeper pushed the breakfast cart up to the door of the Pretender's room.   He mumbled to the two sweepers guarding the door about being reduced to room service.  He knocked on the door.   Irritated he knocked again longer and harder.  Still no one answered.  The guards at the door looked at each other and the one with the room key opened the door.  They stepped in and Dan called for Jarod.

They spread out and began to check out the apartment.  The first into the bedroom was suspicious immediately at the lumps in the bed.  They might have tricked the camera above the door but ground level they were obviously just pillows.

A call was immediately made.  That call turned into several others and in just minutes, Mr. Parker was shouting at Mr. Raines in his office. 

"What the hell do you mean he's gone?  You were in charge of security!  How did he get out?  When did he get out?"

"I was against this unsecured plan from the beginning.  This is the fault of Miss Parker and Sydney.  We were all tricked.  They were obviously in league with him."

"That's garbage.  Angelo said he couldn't remember a thing.  My daughter is no where around."

"Exactly, she's gone, he's gone, they're all gone."

"Well get them back here!"

"They're not answering their phones.  I've sent sweepers to their listed locations."

"What about the Gemini project?  Was it done?"

"Yes.  I checked it when I heard that he was gone.  I've locked up the main frame so that no one can access those files except for myself.  I don't want to take any chances with it."

"Good.  I want to talk to my daughter as soon as she gets in."

Excusing Mr. Raines he stared out the window.  How the hell did he get out like that?  What kind of a two-bit operation was this anyways?

A buzz at his desk diverted his attention from the cove.

"What is it?"

"Mr. Lyle is here."

"Send him in."

Lyle put on his best bad boy face and strutted into his father's office.

"Is it true?  Jarod's gone?"

"Yes, sometime in the night.  Worthless security couldn't guard a concrete block. They don't even know when he left.  Thank god he finished the Gemini project before he left.

Where's your sister anyways?  She should be on top of this.  She was suppose to keep him happy."

"Angelo said that Jarod couldn't remember anything, how do you know that Jarod left on his own?  We never did find the person that put those nuts out."

"That could be a possibility.  That idiot Raines is checking into it."

"Maybe I should go down and help him.  That way, if he's involved he can't cover up his tracks."

"Good thinking.  Don't you fail me like your sister has."

Lyle didn't wait to be excused.  He was quickly headed to Jarod's quarters to try and determine what they knew about Jarod's escape.  That would be some trick, since he didn't know Jarod had escaped before they had.


	11. All your Money wont another Minute Buy

Chapter 11: all your money won't another minute buy Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 616 2001-10-14T07:33:00Z 2001-10-27T02:35:00Z 2001-10-27T02:35:00Z 4 1692 9647 80 19 11847 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Chapter 11: All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy Road in the Rocky Mountains, outside Denver 

Once again, Jarod looked at the rock formation that had started this journey.  He had returned to Eagle Rock Cave to get the DSA's and gear he had left there.  He had leased his cabin for the entire summer and believed that he had not been gone long enough for any of the locals to have noticed and have bothered it.

When he returned to the cabin he found everything as he had left it.  He quickly collected his things and left.  He was rather surprised that Miss Parker had not thought to look for his lair in the area he had been found in.  The DSA's had not been with him in the accident.  They must have overlooked this fact.  She must have not been paying attention or was losing her edge.  Or…

Mr. Parker's Office – the Centre 

Mr. Parker stalked his office in anger.

"Why the hell haven't you gotten hold of my daughter?  I don't want excuses I want results.  She told me she was going to her house, how tough can that be?"

"Sir, she isn't there.  Her car isn't there.  There is no evidence that she has been there in weeks."

"Perhaps she never made it to her house.  Did anyone check for accidents or abandoned cars on the way up there?"  Pausing for the drama Lyle added, "If the Pretender was stolen by someone inside the Centre, perhaps she was taken to keep him in line."  Lyle's goal was to delay them by playing to their suspicions of each other.

"It's a possibility, get on it Lyle."  
  


Lyle nodded and hurried from the room.  His stall tactics were working.  He was keeping them busy looking everywhere but the direction he knew his sister had taken.  He was successfully pointing the suspicion to Raines.  Raines by nature was secretive and supported Lyle's theories by his silence.

Sub Level 5, Technician room – the Centre 

"Something's not right.  We're being led in the wrong direction.  Pull up the Gemini summary that Jarod finished before he escaped."  Mr. Raines rasped.

The technician complied with Mr. Raines order.  He pulled up the first of the files.  As they stared, it slowly turned into gibbish.  

"What!"

"There's a virus sir!  The files are being destroyed!"

"Stop it!"

"I can't sir.  It's in each of the files.  I can't move them, I can't isolate them."

Mr. Raines grew more enraged as he stood there and watched the files deleting themselves."

"Sir! It's starting on the other files!"

"Stop it!  Turn off the server, it can't destroy the files if it's off."

"Actually sir…"

"Do it!"

The technician commanded the servers to shut down putting them in total darkness.  The fans stopped and within minutes, the air became stuffy and hot.

Mr. Raines pulled out his cell phone and dialed Mr. Parker's number.

"What's wrong?  What happened to the power?"

"The mainframe has been compromised.  The Gemini files are destroyed.  We had to shut the power to prevent the entire mainframe from being destroyed."

"Heads are going to roll for this Raines!" Mr. Parker yelled.  

Mr. Raines ended the call and left the room.  The technician held his head in his hands.  He hoped they wouldn't kill the messenger on this one but the mainframe was already gone.  The virus didn't need to have power to destroy the files.  They were already contaminated.  His worst days at Microsoft were better than his best days at the Centre.

Denver Airport 

Jarod was using his laptop to hack into the Denver Police files.  He read the report on his accident and agreed that it was just an accident.  The young men involved in the landslide had confessed after their backpacks were found on the hill.  In their fear and confusion they had forgotten been forgotten on the hillside.

Jarod also checked on the couple that had helped him.  He wanted to thank them in person.  The Police file indicated that they would be back home by this time.  He noted their address and phone number.  

Glancing at his watch, he did a quick check of the Centre before his flight to Seattle.  He quickly scanned a shadow file he had created.  It sounded like they were running around getting nowhere and that they had already discovered the virus in the Gemini files.

He smiled at their attempts to protect the mainframes.  The other Centre sites would be experiencing problems soon.  He wouldn't be able to use them for much longer.  It would take them a long time to discover that his virus was also attacking the administration files.  Financial records, Personnel records, and inventories.  His main concern was the contents of the Pretender labs.  He knew they had samples from him.  Samples that he wanted lost or destroyed.

The desk attendant announced his flight.  He shut down his laptop and stood.  

Seattle Washington 

Jarod rented a two-door blazer while he was waiting for the luggage to come up.

He picked up his luggage and was on his way north.  

He turned onto the street where the couple lived.  He turned into the driveway and parked.  When he got out, a couple of horses trotted up to the fence.  They stood at the gate and nickered.

"Well hello there.  The official greeting committee?"

The horses nickered again.  They stood at the gate waiting expectantly.  The yellow colored horse stomped his foot and nickered again.

Jarod shrugged his shoulders and went to the front door.  He pushed the doorbell and waited.  No ring.  He knocked on the door.  He looked back at the yellow horse that was leaning as far over the gate as it could.

He heard footsteps and the door opened.  

"Since when do you knock?"  He heard as the door opened, followed by an embarrassed, "Oh!  I thought you were my sister.  I remember you.  You were in the Jeep accident when we were in Denver."

"Yes, I was in the area and wanted to thank you in person."

"Come in."  

Laurie led him into the hall and turned into a living room area.  Jarod noticed that Harry sat at a breakfast bar with his back to them.

"Harry, you will never guess who's here!"

"Gee, I don't know.  Judging by the blue blazer in the driveway…Oh, hello."

"Harry, you remember Jarod?  He was the one in the Jeep accident in Denver."

"Wow! You look a lot different!"

"Well Harry, his face is not all bloody and his eyes are not black and blue."

"Um yes.  What are you doing in Washington?"  
  


Jarod smiled at their bantering conversation.  "I was in the area and thought I would stop by and thank you in person for helping me."

An Un-Named Island Base 

Miss Parker wiggled her toes beneath the sand.  It was warm here.  She supposed some people would find it soothing to be in the sun, warm sand beneath your feet, sound of the surf.  Under other circumstances she would have too.

Right now she could only think of what was missing.  The person she wanted to be sitting beside her was the one man that made her whole.  An indignant squawk brought her attention back to the beach.  The little boy a few feet away from her lost his balance and plopped down on the sand.

They had stopped calling him baby Parker.  She had started to call him Jamie and the others had followed.  She was enjoying her time with him.  She wasn't used to babies but she had made a point of visiting him several times a day while he was in the Centre nursery.  She didn't want him to grow up with only that to remember.  Now he wouldn't have to ever remember the Centre.

Broots and Debbie were walking in their direction happily talking.  They were enjoying this mini vacation.  This was the most time they had gotten to spend with each other in years.  She had never seen Broots laugh or smile so much.

Sydney kept hovering and trying to 'shrink' her.  He was coming her way now.  He sat on a log behind her.  She tried to ignore him but he cleared his throat.

"Miss Parker?"

She turned her head and glared at him.  "Syd I don't want to talk about it."

"You can't hold it inside.  You must deal with it.  He may never try to contact us again.  

I always feared that if there were nothing at the Centre for him, he would just disappear."

He let the silence drag on for a moment then added, "I will miss him terribly.  I loved him as a son and I never told him.  He heard me tell Nicolas.  I knew he was hiding in the trees.  I was too afraid to tell him.  Afraid he would reject me.  I regret that with all of my heart.  Now I Fear never having the opportunity to tell him."

When she didn't respond he stood up and walked away to deal with his own guilt and sadness.

A tear rolled down her cheek.  "Oh Momma, where did it go so terribly wrong?  Where are the voices when I need them?"

Woodinville, Washington 

Laurie peeked out the dutch doors of the kitchen and saw Jarod and Harry walking the back pasture.  She had no idea what they could be talking about for the two hours they had been wandering around out there.   She hoped it was the arena that she had wanted built back there.

Jarod and Harry were indeed talking about the arena.  They were having a very complicated conversation about weight bearing beams and spacing, northwest weather needs for stain and such.  There weren't too many people that could stick out a tech talk with Harry but Jarod was giving as good as he got and setting the pace.

When dinner was ready, Laurie disturbed their discussion on the value of chip to sand mix in the footing of the arena and insisted they come in.  They had sat down for dinner of crab casserole and Caesar salad where they resumed their conversation.  Laurie just smiled hoping that this meant that the arena would be built in this century.

Dessert was a coffee ice cream with chocolate liquor and fresh raspberries.  All of them talked into the night, Jarod being able to talk about anything with confidence.  They insisted he stay the night and he grabbed his bag from the blazer and settled in for the night.  He had enjoyed the day with the very normal, and interesting couple.  He told himself to make sure he dropped by here again on his next pass though this area.

Before turning out the lights he checked his email.  He was surprised when he had mail.  It was from Angelo.  He opened it and read a very short and cryptic note, "You need refuge.  You will find it in the keys."

Unnamed island 

Miss Parker sat rocking Jamie and watching the seagulls.  Jamie had fallen asleep an hour ago but she didn't want to let him go.  It was very soothing to hold him as he slept.  To hear his baby breathes and sighs.

She looked up at the partial moon and glittering stars.  It made her and her problems feel small.  She had her time of happiness with Jarod.  It was even shorter than her happy times with her mother.  But she had the wonder of having them.  

She thought back to Lyle.  He had been taken from their mother and raised by uncaring people that obeyed all of Mr. Raines demands.  Lyle had not had the talks with mom, stories, hugs that she had gotten.  Jarod's recent days at the Centre would be the happy ones she would remember.  She was hurt and saddened by Jarod's abandonment but knew why he had left.   She wouldn't have left so quietly but she was safer now because he had left.

Sydney had tried again to comfort her.  She didn't want comforting.  She had gotten what she deserved and now had to live with it and try and make it right with Jamie.  And she would, if the Centre was out of the picture she had the rest of her life to make it better for Jamie. 


	12. Dust in the Wind

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 260 2001-10-16T04:13:00Z 2001-10-27T02:36:00Z 2001-10-27T02:36:00Z 3 1611 9184 76 18 11278 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Chapter 12: Dust in the Wind Phoenix Arizona 

Jarod had left Washington and just started driving.  He had traded the Blazer in for a convertible and ended up in sunny Arizona.  He was sitting poolside at a quiet resort where he planned on hiding until he had his next move planned out.  

Jarod re-read the email from Angelo several times over the next few days.  "You need refuge.  You will find it in the keys."  

Sydney had been his refuge for all of the years he was in the Centre.  Jarod didn't know if he could ever be that again.  Sydney and Miss Parker had tricked him into being the Centre's science experiment again.  He had sworn he would never be that again.  He had resisted them every step of the way the last time he had been captured.  This time he had been tricked by people he trusted.  And he had been the perfect little lab rat.  It hurt him to know that he had no refuge in Sydney.

He knew by his checks on the Centre mainframes that his virus had been successful.  There was no Gemini data for them to miss use.  His samples in the lab were now just mystery samples that would be discarded when they tried to straighten out the lab records.

Since that didn't seem like enough, Jarod was working on a program that would start transferring Centre funds to charities.  Just a little at a time, transacting as business bribes it should go unnoticed for several months.

The Centre 

At the Centre, Mr. Parker was being recalled to the Triumverate.  His inability to produce the Pretender, the recovery staff namely Sydney, Broots and even his own daughter had put him in a bad position.  Mr. Raines was also being summoned.  The Triumverate had voted No Confidence and they were to be reprimanded.  In Centre history, that usually implied someone was going to disappear never to be seen again.

Mr. Lyle secretly kept the runaways informed of the results of the search.  When the Triumerate recalled his father and Mr. Raines, Lyle stepped in to negotiate for the runaways return.  He was planning on meeting with them in person but secrecy was still vital.  They had no idea who might still be working under the orders of Mr. Parker or Mr. Raines.

Angelo sent Jarod another email to let him know that Mr. Parker and Raines were being sent to Africa and the Triumverate would be replacing them.  Mr. Lyle was acting as temporary Chairman of the Centre interests.  This didn't give Jarod any relief.  Lyle was not someone to give the power of the Centre.  This could be more dangerous than a Centre ruled by Mr. Parker.

Unknown Island Base off the Florida Keys 

Mr. Lyle arrived at the base and set his sweepers around to ensure that they had secrecy and security.  His tech teams were watching the activity of hotels, auto rentals and other places that could indicate that they had been followed or were being watched.  Lyle wanted to make sure that no one knew where to find his sister and her friends.

She was sitting on the beach in shorts and a tee shirt.  Baby Parker was sitting on a blanket surrounded by toys and shaded under a large beach umbrella.  His sister sat where she could watch the baby and still see the surf.  He thought that her body posture looked tired.  Was it caring for the Baby or the events of the past weeks?

Lyle motioned his sweepers out and walked up behind her.  "Hey sis, are they treating you alright here?"

"Lyle!  Is that a twinkle in your eye?"  Miss Parker jumped up from the sand and gave Lyle a hug.  Their relationship had come a long way since he had confided in her and helped them escape from the Centre.

"It might be.  A heavy load lifted from my shoulders when our father and Mr. Raines were reported at Triumverate headquarters.  Can we call the others?  I want to tell all of you what's been going on."

"Come on Jamie, time for a nap."  At Lyle's look she added, "I thought it was better to pick a name rather than just calling him baby Parker.  He was really never a Parker.  I thought Jarod could pick a real name for him."

"I think it's a great name."  Lyle said as he lifted the baby from her arms.  He blew bubbles on Jamie's stomach to the ecstatic giggles of the baby.  Inside she got on the phone and called the others.

The calls completed, Miss Parker headed into the bedroom and put Jamie down for a nap.  Slowly the others trickled over to her house and joined them.  As they waited, they thought their own thoughts.

Sydney was afraid it was bad news about Jarod.  Jarod would resist being recaptured even to the loss of his life.  He would hate to think of what Mr. Parker or Mr. Raines would do to Jarod if they caught him now.

Broots was still afraid that Lyle was not what he claimed and that they would all be killed by the Centre.  Oh why did he ever quit Microsoft?

Sam was feeling guilty about betraying the Centre but his loyalty to Miss Parker was still stronger.  The assignment given to him by Mr. Parker himself had been to protect and serve Miss Parker.  That he had done even though it was against the wishes of the Centre.

Miss Parker was thinking about Jarod.  Him smiling at something she had said, his naked body in the bathtub, his paleness as he had lay unconscious in the infirmary after eating the Pistachios.  She hoped he was safe.

Lyle was wondering how they would receive the offers he had been given by the Triumverate.

Working with Angelo's clues, Jarod had traced them to this general area of the Florida Keys.  He had rented a jeep to drive around and check the areas that showed the most promise.  He was afraid that Lyle was already on their trail.  He had checked on the Centre Jet and the changing of vehicles Lyle had made.  Lyle must be narrowing in on their location.  Time was of the essence.

Unknown Island Base off the Florida Keys 

"Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines have been recalled to Triumverate headquarters."  Lyle started the conversation with.  "I've been temporarily put in charge of the Centre."

This caused a rush of fear in Broots and deep concern in Sydney.

"I insisted this only be temporary.  I've had enough of the Centre politics to last me a lifetime.  I've recommended that the Chair of the Centre be shared between Sydney and my sister."

This brought a burst of surprised conversations.  Lyle let them talk amongst themselves for several minutes before he spoke again.

"I know this is something of a surprise to you but my thoughts were twofold.  Sydney could bring the Centre's back to its original goal of helping the world with science. Simulations and experiments for the good of society instead of gain.  My sister would bring the administrative leadership needed to keep it there.  The Triumverate agrees and this will become effective as soon as you agree."

"What is your goal in this Lyle?"  Sydney asked suspicious.

"Yeah, Mr. Lyle, what do you get out of this?"  Broots stuttered.

"Fair questions.  I get the Centre back on track.  Fix what my, our mother died trying to fix.  Of course I also get a well paying executive job and my own department to work on International negotiations as payment for my part in making this happen.  I get my life back which would have been payment enough but hey, I'll take the money."  Lyle said smiling.

Miss Parker stood and walked to the window.  She looked out at the sand and surf.  It was tranquil here; she felt a peace she had not felt in a long time at the Centre.  But she was never able to just sit back and let the world move around her.  She was an active participant.  Maybe this way she could be a participant for good.

This would neatly wrap up this nightmare.  She was not really interested in running the Centre but if it would enable them to help instead of kill, she would do it.   Maybe Jarod would come back if they could change the Centre.

She turned and raised an eyebrow at Sydney.  He caught and held her gaze.  Then he nodded.  Lyle read that as a confirmation and breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Great.  I'll communicate that to the Triumverate immediately.  I'm glad, it's what our mother would have wanted."

"Thank you Lyle."  She said meeting his eyes.  

"I would do anything for you sis.  I'm glad I can finally say that to you in person.  It's been hard playing the bad guy.  Lonely too."

Miss Parker's eyes teared up and she grabbed him for a hug.  "I'm sorry I was so hard on you."

"You were supposed to be remember?"  Lyle said with tears in his eyes and a frog in his throat.

The ringing of his cell phone interrupted Lyle's train of thought.  He stepped to the porch and listened.

"What?  Are you sure?"

"Grab him.  I'll be there in ten minutes.  Don't hurt him."  Lyle admonished the caller.

Stepping back into the room he spotted his sister.  "Sis, something's come up and I have to take care of it.  I'll be back."

He headed for his car and was quickly gone.

A Security Station on the Base Perimeter 

Lyle was nervous as he stopped his car in a cloud of dust in front of the small security station.  He jumped out of the car and walked into the station.  Sitting in a chair securely tied was a ruffled Jarod.  His sweepers looked the worse for wear.  Jarod had a split above his eye and dust over his body but the sweepers looked like they had taken on ten men. 

Jarod glared at him as soon as Lyle walked in.  He strained against his bonds trying to find a weakness.

"Well look what we have here.  If it isn't the Wonder Boy, not so smart now are we?"  Lyle berated himself for slipping into his bad boy profile.  He took a breath and rethought his next move.  There was no need to antagonize Jarod now, no need to play the bad boy.

"Lyle, slumming here in the Keys?  Shouldn't you be planning your world takeover now that you have the control of the Centre?"

Lyle inwardly cursed that Jarod knew that.  Damn the man for knowing everything going on inside the Centre.  This was going to take some disaster recovery but first he was going to dish out a little well deserved discomfort.

He slowly circled Jarod and quickly tried to put his thoughts together.  

"Only temporary I assure you."  He pulled a chair over in front of Jarod and sat down facing him.  "You can tell me what you did to the mainframes and what else I can expect."

"I seem to be suffering from amnesia as far as the Centre goes."  Jarod smirked.

"We both know better than that."  Sliding the chair closer, Lyle leaned uncomfortably close to Jarod, trying to stare him down.

Jarod held his eyes and glared back.  Without moving his shoulders he was rubbing the restraining rope against the chair edge.

Giving in, Lyle leaned back.  "Tell you what Jarod, you do something for me and we'll make a deal."

"I'd never believe any promise that you made.    
  


"Actually, you don't have a choice.  You are going to take a little ride with me.  I'm going to tell you a story and you're going to apologize to my sister."


	13. All we are is Dust in the Wind

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT Valued Gateway Client Valued Gateway Client 3 845 2001-10-23T06:49:00Z 2001-10-27T02:36:00Z 2001-10-27T02:37:00Z 5 2809 16013 133 32 19665 9.3821 

_The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone._

Thanks again to Laurie for giving me the courage to try this, Jamie for being so darn nice, the folks at the Pretender for sharing with us and modern technology so that I didn't have to play at this with a pen and a notepad.  =)

Chapter 13: All we are is Dust in the Wind Florida Keys 

Lyle issued orders to have Jarod dragged into his car.  He was still tied securely; his efforts to shred the ropes discovered when they started to move him.  They tied him in the car so that he couldn't open the door or move much.  Lyle didn't want Jarod to injure himself trying to escape during their short drive or perhaps more honestly, didn't want Jarod to hurt him.  Lyle ordered the sweepers to follow in the other car because he wanted to be alone with the pretender.

When they were back on the road and headed towards his sister and the others, Lyle began his story.  He hoped that Jarod was listening despite the closed look on his face.

He began by saying that he was a mole for the Triumverate sent to the Centre to put a stop to the activities of his father and Mr. Raines.  His past and some of the revolting events had been fabricated to give him a bad boy image.   

There were elements in his past that were true.  He had been stolen from his mother at birth and on orders from Mr. Raines his foster father had abused him.  He had not killed his best friend or incriminated his father that was the work of Mr. Raines to cover his tracks.  He had spent the next several years in intensive counseling set up by the Triumverate while supposedly in College.  It had taken several years to get over that.   He had lost his thumb when the Yakuza blamed him for the hostage failure.  It had been Mr. Raines that set that up.  He had let the blame fall on him for reputation sake.

Killing Kyle had never been his intention.  He was trying to get Jarod and return to the Centre to further convince them of his position.  The bullet he'd taken from Kyle had thrown off his shot.  The sheriff's wife was to be pulled from the tank and hidden away until the whole thing was over.  The Triumverate operative that was to release her was killed on the highway on the way to Red Bluff.  They had called before the accident so he was totally unaware that the woman was still trapped.  Afterwards he had been traumatized at what he had done.  Both to the woman and Kyle.  

He had been removed from the scene unconscious.  He'd heard about what had happened after he was removed from the private hospital he had been hidden in.  He had taken steps to try and amend the guilt he felt.  He had set up a large charity fund to help put organs to donors and a trust fund set up for the sheriff's baby.     

A glance at Jarod indicated that his explanations were falling short.  He hurried on since they were nearing their destination.

"I did everything I could think of to keep you out of the Centre Jarod.  It was rather easy to alert you to our presence.  When we got too close I slammed doors, or opened them with keys in the ignition so the bells would go off.  I let the pride and greed of people like Bridgett call the shots knowing that you would never be so stupid.   Everything I could do that wasn't too obvious.  I even had Angelo move cameras and sensors in the air ducts."

"My sister believes me.  Angelo was able to convince her.  I helped them get out, kept them hidden until my father and Raines were recalled.  They're all safe and sound."

"Here we are, there's more but we don't have time now.  One last thing, I've recommended control of the Centre go to Sydney and my sister.  They can get the Centre back on track and keep it that way.  The Centre's goals were beneficial, in the beginning."

Lyle parked his car in front of his sister's house.  The sweeper car pulled in behind him.  Lyle hoped that the others were still there.  He stepped out and walked around to Jarod's side of the car.  His sweepers joined him and cut the ropes holding Jarod.  By this time Sydney had poked his head out of the door.

"Jarod!"

He rushed out of the house and to the car as the pretender stepped out.  The sweepers kept their guns pointed at Jarod in case he tried to run.

The others quickly joined Sydney outside. Miss Parker pushed them all aside when she saw Jarod bleeding.

"Lyle what did you do to him?"

"He resisted capture.  I told them not to hurt him.  They got worse than they gave."

Jarod locked his jaw and assumed a defiant posture.  He remained silent.

"Jarod are you alright?  We were told not to try and contact you."  Sydney said.

Miss Parker knew that Jarod was still angry.  To give him a chance to come around on his own she offered, "Come in out of the sun.  We were talking about Lyle's offer from the Triumverate.  There are cool drinks inside."

The cry of the baby waking up drew Miss Parker.  "Jamie's up."  She didn't wait for the others and ran inside.  Sydney gestured inside and after a stern look by Lyle, Jarod looked around at the sweepers and grudgingly complied.  They sat down inside as Miss Parker walked in the room with the baby.  He was still whimpering and not fully awake.  She snuggled him into her shoulder and sat down next to Sydney who was sitting across from Jarod.

The sweepers had placed themselves by the doors and windows.  Sam included himself among them but positioned himself close to Miss Parker.  He knew that she loved Jarod but he was taking no chances that he might hurt her.  Broots and Lyle sat in the empty chairs.  All eyes turned to Jarod.

Lyle spoke into the silence.  "I told him what I told you about me, the Triumverate and their offer to you.  I don't think he believes me."

"Not that we blame him Lyle.  It is rather incredible." Sydney stated.  "What is it you need to hear Jarod?"

Unidentified sub-level, Triumvirate Headquarters, Africa 

The room was shrouded in darkness but Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines knew what it was without being able to see much of the room.  Only the tee shaped table was lit.  They had been called before a T-board.

Mr. Parker growled, "They have a lot of nerve calling me before a T-Board, me of all people.  I've run the Centre for too many years to be treated this way.  Just goes to show you the whole place is going to hell without strong leadership.  Matumbo did this.  He wasn't a strong leader.  Heads are going to roll for this I can tell you."

Mr. Parker rocked to his heels and put his hands into his pockets as if his saying it would guarantee it.

Mr. Raines glared at Mr. Parker.  "It's your sloppy mistakes that have brought us here.  If you didn't keep trusting vital Centre programs to incompetents we wouldn't be here to explain your failures." 

Mr. Parker turned to Mr. Raines and vehemently shouted, "My mistakes?  You're the one that insisted your experiments were going to put us decades ahead of everyone else. Instead you fried Angelo's ability to be a Pretender, botched the Gemini project so that we only got one clone and couldn't duplicate him, drove Mirage to disappear totally and tortured Jarod to the point that he would rather die than be returned to the Centre.  This is all your fault!"

The door to their holding cell opened stopping his tirade.  They both turned to see who would be first.  Mr. Parker was gestured out.  As their earlier conversation showed, Mr. Parker blamed all of the Centre's problems on Mr. Raines.

When it was Raines's turn, he blamed everything on Mr. Parker.

When they were done listening to Mr. Raines denying all responsibility the shadowy figures at the T-board called for Mr. Parker to join them at the table.  Mr. Parker sat down with an air of confidence, sure that he would be returned to power at the Centre and Raines would be 're-educated' as it had worked last time.

They both reacted in shock and anger when they were severely chastised by the T-board and sentenced to re-education.  They were told to consider it damage control for the way they had acted and the financial losses that had resulted.  They were fortunate that the events of the past were hidden from the authorities or they would have been terminated with prejudice.

Both were lead off into the darkness still denying their responsibility for the Centre's failures.

Florida Keys 

"What is it you need to hear Jarod?" Sydney repeated when Jarod didn't answer.

Miss Parker herded everyone out of the room to give Sydney privacy with Jarod.  The sweepers took positions outside the building.  Miss Parker took Jamie to their umbrella on the beach where she hugged him and wept softly.

"There is nothing you can say Sydney.  I trusted you. I trusted both of you.  You lied to me and tricked me into staying at the Centre.  You knew I would never have agreed to that."

"What would you have done Jarod?  Simulate that.  You were injured, your memory gone.  We could have institutionalized you and kept you hidden but for how long?  The best medical care was at the Centre.  Your best hope of recovery was there.  When Angelo told us that your memory was gone we wanted to keep you safe from Raines.  He almost won that argument until Miss Parker agreed to play along with the fabricated story.  I chose the simulations until they over-ruled us and insisted you work on Gemini again.  We were going to destroy it and escape with you when we found out from Angelo that he had kept you locked inside your mind.  We were trying to make it right."

Jarod stood and looked out the window.  He saw his reflection in the glass but rather than the tired smudged face he wore now, he saw that of the four year old boy who had been stolen from his bed in the middle of the night.  He remembered his first day at the Centre.  He had been locked in a room of two-way mirrors.  He knew from the DSA's that they had been recording him.   His lips shaped the words he had said all those years ago.  "I'm finished now."

He closed his eyes and a song came to mind.  The words flowed from a distant part of his mind:

I close my eyes, only for a moment and the moment's gone 

_All my dreams, pass before my eyes a curiosity_

_Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind_

_Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea_

_All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see_

_Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind_

_Don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky_

_It slips away, all your money won't another minute buy_

_Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind. _

The Centre tainted everything in his life.  Would he be who he was without them?  Would he be able to use his intelligence as well?  Would he be as motivated to help people as he was because of their misuse of him and his simulations?

Sydney knew by the stance Jarod took and the faraway look in his reflection that he was simming it.  It was their only hope for his forgiveness.  It was over half an hour before Jarod spoke again in a quiet voice.

"I wouldn't have done anything different."  

His shoulders sagged and he began to sob.  Sydney quickly got up and took him in a firm embrace.  They stood there until Jarod stopped.

Before Jarod could end the embrace, Sydney grasped him by the shoulders and said, "I have wanted to do that since you came to the Centre Jarod.  I'm sorry it took me so long.  I was afraid they would take you away from me if they knew I loved you.  I love you as a son Jarod.  Your time on the outside has made me very proud.  I didn't want you back inside the Centre either."

Jarod's eyes filled up again.  He had waited all of his life to hear those words from this man.  But those words brought a haunted look to his eyes and he whispered, "I can't go back there Sydney.  I'm not ready to re-live that nightmare.  They took thirty years of my life.  I still don't know who I am.  I want to find my family."

"We have time Jarod.  If the Triumvirate keeps up it's part of the bargain, Miss Parker and I will be busy refocusing the efforts to the good of mankind.  Please don't give up on us."

Jarod nodded and wiped his eyes.  "I need to talk to her."

Jarod and Sydney walked outside and spotted Miss Parker and Jamie on the beach.  Lyle watched as they headed her way.  He whispered a prayer that Jarod wasn't as stubborn as he thought.  He hoped the Pretender could forgive his sister for her part in this.  Her intentions had been good.

Sydney picked up Jamie and offered to make him a sandwich.  He carried Jamie back to the house leaving a nervous Jarod watching the waves roll into the shore.  Miss Parker took a deep breath and patted the sand next to her.  Jarod accepted the offer and sat down stiffly not knowing where to start.  She let the silence give Jarod the time he needed.

Finally he took a deep breath and started.  "I'm sorry.  When I simmed it I couldn't come up with anything better than what you and Sydney did."

She nodded and her tears started again.  She quietly thanked the voices that he was willing to forgive her.

"I can't go back to the Centre right now."

"I understand." She said not understanding at all.  

He continued.  "You can't understand it, I don't myself.  I love you.  I have always loved you.  But I can't go back there yet.  There is so much out here that I haven't seen yet.  I missed knowing and experiencing so much while I was a prisoner in there."

She nodded this time truly understanding what he needed.  She had been as much a prisoner as he but she had gotten to see and experience the outside world.  He had seen it for the first time only five years ago.

"I still have to find my family.  I'm not ready to give that up and spend the rest of my life in that hell, no matter who's running it."  He added when she opened her mouth to protest.  "I want my life back and it's not at the Centre, at least not now.  I think it could be with you but I want to make sure before I decide."

She put her hand on his hand resting in the sand between them.  "Jarod I understand.  We have put you through hell all of your life.  I love you.  I would do anything to see you happy.  If you decide that you want me in your life, I will leave the Centre and never look back.  You mean more to me than it could ever mean."

He took her into his arms and kissed her.  They stayed in their embrace and watched the sun go down.

The next day the group loaded into vehicles and prepared to leave the quiet base.  Jarod was taking Lyle's car and the others were returning to the Centre.  Jarod shook hands with them and parted from Sydney with an embrace and a promise to stay in touch.  He held Miss Parker and kissed her firmly.  She whispered, "Find yourself Jarod.  Please remember that I love you.  It took me so long to find you, I'll miss you every minute of every day, no pressure."  She laughed with tears in her eyes.  She climbed into the limousine and took Jamie from Broots.

Jarod drove off first and they parted ways when they hit the main road.  He didn't know where he was going but right now it had to be in the opposite direction as the other cars.

In the limo Sydney asked, "why didn't you tell him?"

"Tell him what?" Miss Parker sidetracked.

"That Jamie is his."

"Who said that he is?"  
  


"You did.  By your treatment of him."

Rather than deny it she said, "I will, just not yet.  I don't want any pressure on Jarod to come back or take Jamie with him.  He needs to find out who he is before he can come back."

"He has a right to know."  
  


"I'll tell him, when he's ready to hear it."  
  


"That will only make him angry that you kept another secret from him."

"I plan on giving Jamie all the love and family that Jarod didn't get.  A home is something that Jarod can't offer right now.  I'll tell Jamie who his father is.  It will only be a secret if he refuses to see it"

Jarod left Florida and ended up back in Washington State.  He visited with the couple that had saved him in Denver until he saw a news article about Race Horses dying at a local racetrack.  It didn't take him long to uncover the insurance scam and put a stop to it.  After that he drifted around helping people where he could but his thoughts kept returning to Miss Parker and Sydney.

He kept tabs on the Centre through his own checks of the Centre mainframes and communications with Angelo.  He wanted to see if the Triumvirate meant what they had promised and if Miss Parker, Sydney and Lyle really meant what they said.  His secret checks indicated that they had cancelled a lot of the projects that had been in work.  He saw some of the new projects and results they were achieving.  Even with deep investigation they appeared to be sincere.  He started to send emails to let them know he was doing okay.  Sometimes he asked Sydney his thoughts on a Pretend he was working.

The week before Christmas he sent Sydney an email.  Sydney promptly invited him to visit with him during the holidays.  Miss Parker and Jamie joined them at Sydney's place.  It was the best Christmas that Jarod had ever had.

Without much fuss, Sydney began to ask for Jarod's help on several Centre projects that couldn't be used for evil purposes.  Acting as a Consultant with no strings, Jarod helped them several times with projects that helped several countries and made some major contributions for good.  Later that year he made a surprise visit to Sydney on the older man's birthday.  In an obvious place he saw a recent picture of a smiling and beautiful Miss Parker with Jamie.  Jamie reminded him of someone he had seen in his DSA's, himself right after being stolen by the Centre.  

He made a surprise visit to Miss Parker's house to see Jamie.  When Miss Parker let him in the door Jamie came running from the other room and grabbed him around the legs and shouted a very happy "Daddy!"  

True to her promise to Sydney, she had told Jamie who his father was.  She kept pictures of Jarod around and they watched DSA's of his most recent stay at the Centre like home movies.  She made sure that Jamie would know and recognize his father.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sydney wanted me to but you didn't need that on your mind.  You needed the time to think so I watched him for you.  I told him his Daddy was on a trip and was trying to hurry home to the little boy he loved very much."

Her eyes pleaded for him to understand.  He picked up Jamie and saw that she had done exactly what she had said.  If he had known about Jamie, he would have come back under pressure or taken Jamie with him on the road.  Neither of those were the best for Jamie.  Jarod took the two of them into a hug with "I love you" to both of them.

He stayed the weekend to get to know his son.  The weekend turned into the month, which turned into several months.

One evening, Sydney came over for dinner and after they talked it out, they agreed to create an off site Facility for Jarod to use on whatever he wanted.  This would allow him to stay close and still pick his own projects.  Miss Parker was sporting the new engagement ring Jarod had given her at breakfast that morning.  Jarod had not found his family but he had made himself a new one.  He planned to keep looking for his family but for now, he had a new family that he loved very much.


End file.
